


The Coalition For a Better World

by DaniPayson



Series: Second Chances [4]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2021-04-04
Packaged: 2021-04-07 21:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 139,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21552088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniPayson/pseuds/DaniPayson
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Series: Second Chances [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1174925
Comments: 18
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

January 2017  
Patrick Stapleton sat at a table in the back – as instructed – at The Daily Grill in Georgetown. He had flown in the day before and was staying at a nice hotel just down the road. As he perused the menu he tried his best to ignore the patrons around him; for what he perceived to be a sophisticated place, the clientele left a lot to be desired.  
“Pat!” the man he was here to meet called out his name as he approached the table, “How are you?”  
“Fine, Carl. Just fine.” Pat replied as he stood up to take his hand and shake it firmly.  
“How are the wife and kids?” Carl asked as he sat down and picked up the menu.  
“Good, good. My grandson Timothy can throw a baseball now.”  
“That’s fabulous. You look good as well.”  
“All thanks to you. If not for you I would have been sitting in a wheelchair for the last thirty years.”  
“It was all for a good cause.” Carl replied as their server Sheila walked over to take their drink order, “Scotch. Straight.” Carl said to Sheila before looking at Pat, “The same I assume?”  
“Same.” Pat smiled as Sheila nodded and walked away.  
“Your youngest is, thirteen?”  
Pat nodded, “Janie, yes…thirteen…” he then sighed, “I told you that Beth can’t have anymore, correct?”  
“Yes, I know…” Carl replied looking over the menu, “Sometimes human biology takes over and she was the first.”  
“But she looks incredible.” Pat replied pulling out his phone and scrolling to a photo of their last trip to Jamaica where his wife was wearing a very revealing black bikini, “No one would guess she’s seventy-three.” He showed Carl the phone who nodded without even looking at it.  
“As long as your children continue to have children we should be fine.” Carl sighed as he placed the menu on the table, “It just feels like the day for a rare steak.”  
Pat nodded, “Yes, yes it does.”  
Shelia returned with their drinks and Carl ordered two rare steaks for the two of them. Pat had sworn off red meat years earlier, but he knew not to disagree with the man in front of him.  
After being shot in the line of duty, Pat lay in a hospital bed unable to feel his legs. Fearing he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life he was approached one day by a man who promised him eternal life if he did what he was told. Given the situation he faced, Pat had a hard time saying no, and after the surgery took place and he felt the tingling sensation in his legs he knew he had made the right choice. Thirty years later, he started to question that; especially as the man, who he hadn’t seen or heard from in over a decade, sat before him. Taking a drink of the scotch he never much cared for, Pat took a moment before he looked directly at Carl, “Might I ask what spurned this meeting?”  
Carl nodded, “I’ve been following you, Pat, and your wife. I see you are on the boards of various causes. Greenpeace, the ASPCA, you even build homes for Habitat for Humanity.”  
“Yes, it’s a good use of our time.”  
“You seem very intent on making the world a better place.”  
Pat nodded, “Yes, there’s a lot of changes which need to be made, but I’m not sure the right people are in charge to make them-especially now.”  
“How would you like to be in charge of it?”  
“Excuse me?” Pat replied, “I really have no interest in running for any public office, I’m sorry Carl.”  
“That’s not what I am offering. I am offering you the chance to run a coalition of sorts. The coalition for a better world.”  
“And how would this coalition go about making the world better?” Pat asked as he took another sip of his last beverage of choice.  
“By eliminating a large percentage of the current population.”  
Choking on the scotch, “Are you suggesting genocide?”  
“This isn’t against any race or religion, there are too many people on this planet and regardless of ethnicity or religion persuasion, it would be best if a majority of the people on the planet were no longer…here.”  
Unable to truly comprehend what was being presented to him, Patrick slowly placed the now empty glass back on the table and took a moment to compose his response; unfortunately, he couldn’t think of one.  
“You seem surprised.” Carl remarked as he took another sip of the aged liqueur.  
“I just don’t believe I can be a part of a group that will be responsible for murdering millions of innocent people.”  
“What you call murder, I call. Pruning. If you consider this planet a plant of sorts we are simply removing the excess branches and... Foliage, so the planet can begin to heal itself.”  
“I assume you will be selecting who to savagely murder.”  
Carl sighed, “It’s not murder. What the human population is currently doing could be considered murder in my opinion. A mass number of people have the opinion ‘well, it won’t matter when I’m dead’ which is part of the reason I set out to create a new class of people which you have thankfully helped with. Seven children are a lot to take on.”  
“We’ve been compensated generously.”  
“Yes, five hundred thousand per child goes a long way and two-hundred and fifty per grand child can pay for college.” He joked.  
Pat took a deep sigh, “I love my children.”  
“I know you do. That’s why you were chosen. And your wife. We only chose those individuals we knew could make the world a better place. That’s why we’re doing this. All that will remain are the good people this planet deserves.”  
Pat didn’t want to note the irony of the man before him talking about good people as he knew in his thirty years of dealings that Mr. Spender was far from decent. “How…” he choked on the word, “How are you going about doing this?”  
“That’s not for you to need to know. Your responsibility will be to work with the other teams I have in place in making sure those selected to remain survive what will occur. As you were conditioned to survive an alien invasion, I can’t guarantee that the same protections will be in place for this event. I will give you the details when the time is warranted, but for now I will give you the contact information you need to reach out to those working on the databases of the chosen ones. Of course, your family will be added to the list for assisting in this operation, as will mine and all others who are working for the one common goal – a better world.” Carl smiled as he noticed Sheila returning with their meals, “For now, let’s eat.”

October 21, 2019 – 7:15AM  
“Red, black, blue…” Scully tossed various suits out of her armoire, “I haven’t worn a suit in so long…”  
“Blue…it makes a statement, but not a morbid one like black can.” Mulder said as he watched his wife frantically toss clothing onto the bed, “You’ll be fine.”  
“I haven’t had to INTERVIEW for a job in…YEARS, and I just want to make a good impression.”  
“But it isn’t an interview.” Mulder said as his wife continued to frantically toss clothing out of the armoire, “You already spoke to the medical director and said she liked you.”  
“She’s desperate.” Scully replied, as she grabbed a white blouse which hadn’t been worn in over a year, “One of their primary care physicians passed away in a car accident and they’re short on help. It will only be part time, three days a week and not until I get my Colorado medical license which could take four weeks to SIX MONTHS, but until I receive it I can at least consult and help out.”  
Mulder shook his head as she rattled off without taking a breath, honestly missing how frantic she could get about such simple things like finding the right blouse to make a good impression, “Pretty sure you already told me all of this last night.”  
Taking a deep breath, Scully rested against the armoire, still in her red and white flannel pajamas and just looked at the man four feet away from her, “Am I making a mistake going back to work?”  
“We already checked and you won’t lose your pension, that was your first fear, and I know how much you actually enjoy working and helping people so no you’re not making a mistake and NO you don’t have to worry about me being home alone all day and falling back into that pattern because I’m no longer alone.” Mulder smiled as he approached Scully and placed his hands on her shoulders, “It’s. Fine. And three days a week is nothing in the grand scheme of things. You’ve already been here for the big moments, the talking, the walking, the eating on her own…now just comes the really fun part.”  
Scully smiled, “Potty training.”  
Mulder smiled as well, “Which will be my own challenge. I bought the cutest seat, it’s pink and has its own little toilet paper handle!”  
Seeing how excited he was to teach their not even a year old daughter to potty train made Scully feel a lot better about leaving him home alone; and even though all the books said not to even try until she was over a year old, they knew their daughter wasn’t a normal baby-not by a long shot, “Just don’t push her…”  
“I have no intention of doing so. However, since one of the best methods is watching and learning I’m going to have to start sitting down a lot.”  
The distraction from her interview anxiety was very much what she needed at this point and after taking another deep breath she nodded, “I’m going to go take a shower, you do me a favor and find a suit you think would make a good impression.”  
“On a man or a woman?”  
“Why should that matter?  
“Well, I want you to look good, but not TOO good.”  
Shaking her head, she ignored him and walked into the bathroom before sticking her head out as he looked at the suits laying on the bed, “A woman. In her sixties.”  
Mulder nodded, “Good.”

October 21, 2019 9:30AM  
Scully sat in the office of Helen Thomas as she waited for the woman to arrive for their interview/meeting. After everything that had occurred, Scully realized she wanted to contribute more to society – this new society – and as she didn’t want to run for ANY public office, as her husband continued to push, she decided to go back into medicine. Unfortunately, each state requires their own license, application and background check and after writing a check in the amount of four-hundred and twelve dollars to the Colorado Medical Board, now all she could do was wait. Feeling it couldn’t hurt to look, she was sent a posting for a primary care physician at the clinic in her own town. Not expecting an opportunity to come so quickly she filled out the application and sent over her updated resume – noting that she was still waiting to receive her Colorado Medical License - and was honestly surprised to receive a call within an hour after hitting send. She and Ms. Thomas spoke for over an hour and now as she waited to meet the woman, the nervous butterflies began to arrive. She didn’t need this job; between their pensions and Mulder’s inheritances they were set for life - however long that would be – but she missed working. She missed helping people. The anxious need that came over her the summer of 2004 when she told Mulder she wanted to go back to school to get her pediatric neurology license, was the same anxious need that came over her two weeks after her daughter weaned herself. She didn’t want to go back to school, at this point she felt she had enough training in her fields and after Christian passed away two years after she thought she saved him she left pediatric neurology and felt it best to work as a surgical assistant. Now, three years after leaving that position she realized how much she missed medicine and after speaking to Ms. Thomas the following Friday she decided primary care may be the best for her. As it was, there was a decline in medical students becoming primary care physicians, most wanting to go into specialized fields, which meant someone with Scully’s experience and skills was greatly needed.  
“Not many of my doctors are licensed to handle firearms.” Ms. Thomas said as she entered her office with a file folder in her hand as she closed the door behind her.  
Scully simply smiled at the tall woman with the light brown bob haircut who honestly reminded her of her first grade teach Ms. Van Martin, as she sat down behind the desk Scully had been sitting in front of for over half an hour, “I’m hoping that’s not a requirement.” She felt free to joke.  
“It’s not.” Helen smiled and placed the folder on her desk, “I’m sorry I was delayed for our interview, I just got caught up going through all your paperwork.”  
“How so?” Scully asked now growing concerned.  
“Your work history is very fascinating. You graduated with honors from The University of Maryland, completed three years of residency as required, but then you chose to teach at the FBI academy in Quantico?”  
Scully nodded as her life was read back to her, “At that point in my life it felt like the right thing to do.”  
“I see, and then you were recruited by the bureau where you worked as a special agent for ten years.”  
Scully nodded as she knew where this was going, “Yes.”  
“But…”  
And there it was. Scully shifted in her seat as she knew what was coming. As her resume hadn’t been updated since she applied at Our Lady of Sorrows, she and Mulder tried to figure out how to explain such a large gap in her work history. Leaving your home and profession to become a fugitive with the man you loved sounded romantic, but it didn’t play out well on a job application. When Father Ybarra noticed that large period of time missing from her resume he simply asked if the FBI had become so stressful she needed time to reconnect with herself and God and at the time it felt like a better answer than living in cheap motel rooms and eating cold pizza for breakfast. But now, so many years later, that space of time of 2002-2004 was two years she had to explain as more than self-reflection and she didn’t want to lie.  
“My husband had a mental break.” Which wasn’t a lie, he just wasn’t her husband at the time and his ‘break’ wasn’t until so many years later.  
Ms. Thomas nodded and looked back down at the paper in front of her, “From 2002-2004?”  
Scully nodded, “I had lost our son and it was a lot to deal with.” Still not a lie; no need to bring up that she found him again, but at the same time she didn’t want to go into this job on such a lie, “He’s back in our lives now. It was a very traumatic time.”  
Ms. Thomas nodded, “How old is he now?”  
“Eighteen.” She quickly replied, “Currently at Stanford with his girlfriend.”  
“What is he studying?”  
Knowing Call of Duty wasn’t a degree program, Scully simply replied, “Computer science.”  
“Oh.” Ms. Thomas continued to smile like it was a permanent facial expression and closed the folder, “I’m sorry if it felt like I was getting too personal, that two-year gap did leave me a bit concerned, but seeing that you then spent two years at The University of Virginia to receive your license in pediatric neurology, then worked at Our Lady of Sorrows until you returned to the FBI in 2016 did leave me a bit…puzzled.”  
“Believe me, it puzzles me still to this day, but at the time it was something I needed to do for many reasons.”  
“Care to elaborate?”  
No, but apparently doing so was now a job requirement, “I met my husband while working for the bureau, and he decided to return in 2016 – as he was asked to return given his abilities to understand the criminal mind. Sure, it’s what may have led to his temporary breakdown, but he was fine then and he’s fine now. Actually, better than ever now since our daughter came into our lives.”  
“And how old is she?”  
Another question Scully waited for, “She’ll be one in December.”  
And as she saw the woman before her doing the math in her head, her eyes narrowed a bit, “Invitro?”  
Scully shook her head as a small smile came over her face, “No, just…an unexpected miracle.”  
Ms. Thomas nodded, “I apologize if my reaction was in any way offensive.”  
“Given my age, I’m used to it, but I recently met a woman who had her last child at sixty so it can happen...naturally.”  
Ms. Thomas smiled as well, “Well, once again I apologize for the personal questions as we had made our decision before this meeting, I just wanted to get a better understanding of why you decided to return to medicine.”  
“I want to help people.” Scully quickly replied, “My husband is fine staying at home all day, teaching himself new recipes and teaching our daughter two syllable words, and as much as I do love spending time with my family, I just know I have so much more to contribute to society.”  
“You almost sound like a politician.”  
Scully chuckled a bit, “Don’t go there. My husband keeps trying to get me to run for President.”  
“Given we haven’t had one for quite some time...” Ms. Thomas shook her head, “Everything is so strange right now…it’s strange not having social media or a government.”  
“Well, I know we still have some form of government because we’re still getting our pensions on the first of every month.”  
Ms. Thomas nodded, “Yes, there is that. I guess in time everything will just work itself out. I will say, it’s a lot less stressful worrying every day if one little tweet will cause a war.”  
“You sound like my husband.”  
“I can’t wait to meet him.” Ms. Thomas stood up, “Why don’t we introduce you to the rest of the staff?”  
“I’d like that.”  
October 21, 2019 8:30PM  
“It’s a good thing I don’t officially start until Wednesday…” Scully said as her husband filled her glass with a second round of champagne, “I may need tomorrow to sleep this off.”  
“I’m very much ok with you not getting out of bed for the entire day, but the sleeping part is a turn off.” He said placing the bottle back on the nightstand as they sat up in their flannel nightwear celebrating Scully’s new job, “How many men?”  
Rolling her eyes at his question, she took a sip, and then narrowed her eyes on him, “Two. Both married. One with four kids, another with one on the way and he’s young enough to be my son.”  
“You know I have to ask these things.” He said finishing off his second glass, “And what are they having you do as we wait another possible two months for your license?”  
“Research and assisting the doctors who have their licenses; it’s only for four to six hours a day three days a week. The rest of the time I’ll be here with you and the pink potty chair.”  
“Yeah…” Mulder shook his head, “I tried to put her on it today…she said no.”  
“She likes that word.”  
“I honestly thought she’d have it mastered in an hour.”  
“Well, if that’s the ONE thing she’s delayed with, we can live with it.”  
“I’m just so done with diapers.”  
“I’m with you there.”  
October 28, 2019 – 12:55PM  
On her first day, Scully decorated her office with the usual framed diplomas she had to retrieve from the box in the attic, and her desk was adorned with the wedding photo from Maui and another photo of just Melissa taken about a month earlier with her hair in a pink bow and a matching pink dress just sitting on the couch being…herself. Something about seeing that candid photo of her infant daughter so happy and relaxed just made Scully feel good. That she had brought such a being into the world filled her with purpose.  
On her second day, she researched a specific kind of athlete’s foot and toe fungus and started to miss her daughter mastering the word bottle.  
On her third day, she was heavily invested in ocular migraines when her phone went off because someone was too excited to share that their Halloween costumes had arrived.  
“Wilma?” she said as she stared at the image of a dilated pupil before her, “I don’t recall agreeing to this.”  
“You did. Three weeks ago, when I ordered the costumes. Fred, Wilma and Pebbles. You should see the bone hair clip. I may use it for occasions other than Halloween.” Mulder exclaimed like a hyper child who had had too much sugar.  
As much as she loved hearing how excited he was she had one burning question, “And where are we supposed to wear these costumes? At home waiting for the non-existent trick or treaters to come up to the security gate before we’re in bed by nine?”  
After a moment of silence, a large sigh came through the phone, “I guess I didn’t think about it. We didn’t get any visitors last year and we couldn’t go anywhere.”  
“Because I was a whale.” Scully sighed as well, “Ok, I’ll make you a deal. If you can FIND a reason to wear such a costume I will, but if not then it’s just going to be a regular Thursday night in.”  
“So, you mean going out. All of us.”  
“We need to. I really don’t like the idea of you not leaving the house for weeks at a time.”  
“I get outside.” Mulder replied sounding insulted.  
“Not enough. I’m serious. I want you to make friends.”  
“You mean other fifty-eight-year-old men with infants?”  
“I’m sure they’re out there.”  
“Fine. I have a task to take on.”  
“And I have migraines to research.”  
“Love you.”  
“Love you too.” She said before disconnecting the phone placing it on the desk.  
“Dana?” a young woman who worked the front desk named Angela came up to her doorway, “There’s a woman here to see you.”  
“How would anyone even know I work here?” Scully replied.  
“Apparently she does. Said she’s a friend her name is Beth.”  
“OH!” Scully replied given they had a texting relationship she had told Beth about her job, “Please send her in!”  
Since their meetup in Jamaica they had texted a few times a week, just general ‘how are you’ doings, but given they lived in Scottsdale, having Beth just pop into the clinic was unexpected and when she saw Beth enter her office, Scully immediately sprung to her feet to embrace the older woman.  
“This is unexpected.” Scully said as she closed the door, “What are you doing in town?”  
“We knew you lived here.” Beth said as she sat in the chair across from Scully’s desk where she closed the laptop between them, “And we heard good things about the spring pools here. Janie is home alone and HASN’T thrown a party yet so we should be safe for the week.”  
“Wow. It’s just amazing.”  
“It’s only a nine-hour drive with traffic.” Beth said looking at the photos on Scully’s desk and picking up the one from Maui, “Are these your children?”  
“Yes.” Scully replied, “William and Melissa.”  
Shaking her head, Beth admired the beautiful family, “Such a shame.” She said placing the picture back on the desk.”  
“Excuse me?” Scully replied taken a back and feeling more than a bit insulted.  
“Oh, only that you only have two. Such beautiful people, and smart people, you could have brought so much more into the world.”  
“You have to be thankful for what God gives you.” Scully replied as she had wanted more children, she realized that this was the plan God had made for her and she had to be grateful regardless of the timing and circumstances.  
“God…sure.” Beth sighed and looked up, “If that’s what you want to call it.”  
Starting to feel uneasy Scully placed her right hand on her left wrist, looking down to control the volume on her phone and turning it all the way down before hitting the left button to call the one person on her favorite’s list.  
“Why do I have the feeling this isn’t a friendly visit?” Scully said.  
“What?” Mulder asked then went silent, hitting mute on his phone as he turned up the volume as Melissa carried on about cat and juice and he gave her cut up apple pieces so he could focus on what was being said on the other end of the line.  
“We are friends, Dana.” Beth replied and hearing Beth’s voice instantly sent panic through his body. As much as Mulder said they should trust their new friends and had no problem with his wife carrying on a texting relationship with this woman, the fact she was now in his wife’s office speaking in an almost robotic tone terrified him to the core.  
“Missy…” he said to the little girl eating her apples, “We need to go see mommy.”

“Mommy!” Melissa exclaimed with chewed up apple in her mouth.  
“I thought we were.” Scully replied, “But as you sit here questioning my life choices and my faith, I can’t help but wonder.”  
“Dana, you were given a gift…a gift of eternal life and with that comes responsibilities. Responsibilities to yourself and the world to help make this world a better place with better people in it.”  
“How do you know that?” Scully asked hoping beyond hope her husband had picked up the phone and was hearing all of this as she was now too uneasy to check her phone.  
“I know nearly everything about you, Dana…and your husband.” Beth sighed, “Because I’m just like you. Only I knew what my purpose was.”  
“To be a breeder.”  
“I find that insulting. I love my children and they have grown to be incredible people. My oldest Ben works for the United Nations. Jessica, my second who just had her third child is computer programmer and even after giving birth is still working. She’s not exactly someone out of The Handmaid’s Tale and neither am I.”  
“I didn’t mean to insult you, and I never said you didn’t love your children.”  
Mulder ran up and down the stairs in record speed as he held the phone on speaker in his hand, hearing everything as his heart raced. After changing into his jeans and a black t-shirt before putting on his grey hooded jacket, he carried Melissa upstairs to change her into warmer clothing given it was sprinkling outside.  
Beth stood up and began to walk around the office, looking at the diplomas on the wall, “So many accomplishments…”  
Taking a second to check her phone it was clear Mulder had picked up and she quickly turned it face down before Beth turned towards her again, “Kimberly is currently in Antarctica working with Greenpeace.”  
“I didn’t say your children weren’t accomplished.” Scully said looking up at the older woman, “I’m just saying we all have different paths.”  
“You’ve been with your husband for twenty-seven years…” Beth said sitting back down, “Are you trying to tell me you never have sex?”  
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.” Scully said trying to find a polite way to tell this woman to leave and never contact her again.  
Shaking her head, Beth sighed and looked directly at Scully, “I’m sorry Dana, it is.” She said leaning back, “Well, it is now.”  
“Excuse me?” Scully replied aghast.  
“Yeah, excuse me?” Mulder said to the muted phone as he strapped Melissa into her car seat one handed. “We have plenty of sex.”  
“Sex!” Melissa exclaimed to which Mulder shook his head and pleaded with his daughter to never repeat that word.  
“Well, not the sex part.” Beth said feeling bashful herself, “More like the path you are choosing to take with your life. I’m here because of that and only that.”  
“What business is it of yours?” Scully replied wondering if she may have been better off not making friends in the first place.  
“It was made my business almost three years ago, when my husband and I were told we needed to form a coalition of sorts.”  
“A coalition.”  
“Yes.”  
“For a better world.” Scully said in unison with Mulder did as he sat in the driver’s seat of his car too shell-shocked to drive.  
“I know you’re aware of us.”  
“Unfortunately, so.” Scully replied crossing her arms, “Explains why you were grilling us about what happened in July. You wanted to know if we knew. It also explains why you just happened to be on a cruise then.”  
“That cruise was planned over a year before the event occurred. Granted, it did give us a Noah’s Ark idea as to how to save those who deserved to be saved, even though not all made the journey.” Beth took a moment to collect her thoughts, “We currently are working on a census, but it has taken some time.”  
“I would believe so.” Scully replied, “I guess just running into you in Jamaica wasn’t a coincidence.”  
“Only partially. See, we’ve been going to that resort for so long we are pretty high up in the chain of who gets reservations to the butler suites and we surprisingly saw your name on a list for the week after we usually go, so we just stayed an extra week and made sure your room was next to ours. Most people wait years for one of those suites so consider yourself lucky we bumped another couple for you.”  
“Who did you bump?”  
“That isn’t important. What is important is that we did meet you, as I was made aware of the two of you and your son years earlier that whatever plans were made you needed to be included in them. We tried approaching you last year, but the address we had on file was incorrect. I’m sure the nice family we met in Virginia was mighty shocked to see us when we showed up on their doorstep. Carl didn’t update his records.”  
“Maybe because Carl was dead by then.” Mulder said to the phone in its car mount as he drove towards the medical center.  
“Yeah, well…Carl wasn’t aware we had moved.” Scully replied hoping that by now Mulder was on his way up to the center and now wishing it wasn’t twenty miles away from home.  
“I believe Carl is deceased.” Beth replied, “From what I’ve been told his body was found in Norfolk back in late March.”  
As much as she wanted to show how the death of the man who brought she and her husband together was a reason to celebrate, Scully stayed stone faced as she stared at the woman in front of her, “He had a lot of enemies.”  
“Yes, well, from my run ins with him he could be very kind at times, but maybe we had different experiences.”  
“He shot his son in the face.” Scully blurted out without really meaning to.  
“Oh…” Beth picked up the family photo again.  
“Not Fox.” Scully replied, “He had another son, Jeffrey.”  
“Oh.” Beth placed the photo back on the desk, “Carl never mentioned Jeffrey.”  
“Not surprising.” Scully replied, “He’s fine now, after a lot of surgery. There are still scars and he doesn’t really go out much, but he’s alive.”  
“Still?” Beth asked honestly curious.  
“Yes. Still. We made sure. Along with the rest of my family which wasn’t included on the so called ‘worthy of saving’ list.”  
“There was a reason for those lists. Lots of time and effort was put into making sure the best people remained for this new world.”  
“But only the United States was attacked.”  
“Yes, well the United States is where the biggest issues were at the time. Those issues have been eliminated and now we have to go about creating a new working government for the people by the people and that’s where you come in.”  
“How so?”  
“Carl spoke so highly of you and all you had accomplished, except for breeding as you so eloquently put it. You have the mind and the heart to be a great leader.”  
As Beth said the words Mulder had himself repeated over the last few months a smile crept over his lips as he got closer to the clinic. The fear pulsing through his body had been replaced with relief as Beth now spoke to Scully in a caring tone.  
Scully knew he was listening to every word, and as much as she now wanted to disconnect the phone she let it continue so Mulder could hear her say the same words to Beth that she said to him every time he brought it up, “I’m happy with the life I have chosen.” She said directly, “I have no interest in being any kind of leader.”  
“That’s disappointing.” Beth replied, “We were counting on you.”  
“There are plenty of other people to count on. What about Oprah?”  
Beth shook her head, “Oprah is more interested in the brand of being a leader, not the leading itself. As much as I do believe she cares about this world, it’s the fact she’s marketed herself to such extremes that leads me to believe she’s not who we want in a President. We already got that; and that’s why we are where we are today.”  
“I knew it…” Mulder groaned as he turned onto South Pagosa Boulevard.  
“You’re saying millions of people were extinguished because of one man?”  
“Not ONLY because of him, the country was falling apart long before he was put in place, it just became so much worse under his rule. You must say, the last few months without him and social media have been more of a blessing than we expected.”  
Scully nodded, “I really didn’t use social media much anyway.”  
“I found your account before July.”  
“That was for other reasons…I didn’t use it much.”  
“Well, at least that way I knew what you looked like. Carl never really told us other than that you had red hair and you were beautiful.”  
Unable to say thank you to such a compliment, Scully simply nodded.  
“Natural?” Beth said eying the obvious roots on Scully’s head.  
Scully nodded, “It’s changed through the years, but yes. My father had red hair and so do my brothers as did my sister.”  
“Ah…” Beth nodded, “After the surgery back in eighty-eight Carl mentioned it would have been easier if I was a natural redhead…I used to dye my hair red and so everyone thought I was…” Beth shrugged, “Probably why there were complications. I had no idea that having auburn hair genetically was a defect.”  
“Mutation.” Scully replied as much as she hated the word she felt it best to use the true term.  
Beth nodded again, “I was the first for this specific experiment…I was told there was another woman they used for a different kind of experiment in terms of how they used alien DNA.”  
Scully knew who she was referring to, but also didn’t like remembering the night Cassandra Spender and so many other people – just as innocent as Cassandra - were burned alive in an airplane hangar. Luckily, she heard a man’s voice outside the door, and it was a voice which sent tingles throughout her body as she waited for the door to open and Mulder to walk in holding their daughter.  
“Hey…” he said trying to act like he knew nothing about what was going on, “Ready for our lunch date?”  
“Oh..” Beth said looking at the two of them, “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”  
“Beth!” Mulder pretended to be shocked to see her, “When did you get into town?”  
“Yesterday.” Beth replied, “We’re staying at the Hot Springs Resort. You must come visit. We’ll be there till the third, unless Janie torches the house while we’re gone.”  
“We’ll see if we can fit it into our schedule.” Scully said grabbing her phone and purse.  
“Yes, please…I would like us to finish what we were talking about. Please.” Beth said in a very pleading tone.  
Scully nodded as they walked Beth out of her office, and she let the front desk know she was going for lunch. After they watched Beth drive off in her rental car, Scully looked up at her husband who held their daughter while smiling down at her, “Shut up.” She said before walking towards his car.  
October 28, 2019 – 2:205PM  
“I’m just saying…” Mulder said as he picked at his iceberg salad from the salad bar a Boss Hogg’s Restaurant and Saloon, “I’m clearly not the only one who saw it as an…opportunity.”  
As she stabbed a cherry tomato, and her daughter ate her own with her fingers, Scully shook her head in annoyance, “I’m not a politician. I can’t just…tell people what they want to hear and then do the opposite and even the good ones deal with so much hate…I can’t put myself or you or my children through that.”  
“But there’s nothing about you TO hate.”  
“That’s your opinion.” Scully replied, “Remember my thirtieth high school reunion? The evil stares I received.”  
“I only remember it was only a couple years before you left my ass.”  
“ASS!” Melissa squealed.  
Mulder exhaled deeply and looked at the little girl sitting in the highchair to his right, “Why do you always choose the worst words to repeat?” Mulder said to his daughter who replied with a giggle as she picked up a baby carrot.  
“She’s your child.” Scully said smiling at the two of them, “And I like my life right now, no, I love my life right now. Sure, it’s kind of boring waiting for my license to be approved, but I’m happy. I have everything I could have ever wished for.”  
Mulder nodded, “Me too…”  
Feeling the conversation was over Scully went back to cutting the broccoli on her plate.  
“But…” Mulder added  
Sighing, Scully looked up, “But….”  
“Is it so wrong to want to be the one to help make this world a better place?”  
“Then you run.”  
“No one wants me.” Mulder said picking up a crouton with his fingers and popping it in his mouth, “This country deserves a qualified female president and as popular as she is, I just don’t see Oprah taking the job as seriously as you would.”  
“That’s what Beth said.”  
“I know. Which leads me to ask why you wrist dialed me in the first place…did you fear something more would happen, and you needed me to come rescue you?”  
“Pretty much.”  
“Oh, and by the way, I found a Halloween party on Thursday.”  
Scully groaned at her cucumber, “Where?”  
“Shooters and Shenanigans. It’s a little restaurant down the way. Even offering a cash prize for best costume.”  
“Fine.” Scully said as she picked up her glass of water, “I did tell you to get out more.”  
“Yes, you did.”  
October 29, 2019 – 4:55AM  
After the events of July fourth and the aftermath with Grace and her father, Mulder had a lot of trouble sleeping - among other things. After a good two weeks of staring at the ceiling he found a new doctor who prescribed him Ambien. He didn’t like medication and didn’t want to be dependent on any kind of chemical, but with the medication he was able to sleep through the night without waking up in anxiety ridden panic attacks. Mulder feared the side effects he had heard came with the medication, but so far aside from bizarre dreams he had yet to really deal with any and the other issues he was plagued with thankfully seemed to fix themselves in Jamaica.  
Sometimes the dreams were funny – chasing Big Foot through the Everglades – and sometimes they were scary – waking up and finding himself alone without his wife and child- and other times, like now, they were hopeful. As Mulder opened his eyes to the darkened bedroom, he couldn’t help but tell his wife about the dream he had just had, but as he turned to his right to gently nudge her awake he found the other side of the bed empty, the covers pulled up and the bed cold. As panic coursed through his body he quickly sat up and looked around the room, he called out her name to no response. The bathroom door was open, and the room was dark. The panic intensified as his bare feet hit the cold hardwood and he rushed out to the hallway to his daughter’s room where he found the crib empty. Fearing he was still in a nightmare, he unlocked the top baby gate and rushed down the stairs, stepping over the bottom one and rushing into the kitchen and pulling a bottle of cold water out of the refrigerator.  
As he walked back to the bottom of the steps he heard a faint voice call out, “Over here.”  
Quickly turning to the right, he saw the image in the moonlight of his wife laying on the couch, their infant daughter against her chest. Heaving a deep sigh of relief, Mulder walked over to the couch and looked down at his wife, “Is everything ok?”  
Scully nodded as she tenderly brushed her daughter’s hair with her right hand as she held Melissa’s tiny right hand in her left, “Now it is..” she said in a whispered tone, “What time is it?”  
“About five.” Mulder whispered softly, “How long have you been down here?”  
Scully shook her head, “I don’t know.” She replied adjusting herself a bit, “She was screaming, in a way I haven’t ever heard her scream before. I’m surprised she didn’t wake you.”  
“The medication.”  
Scully nodded, “I figured.” She replied taking a second to make sure Melissa was still sleeping, “When I picked her up she was fighting me, then started grabbing at my blouse. Given I’m out of commission in that department now, I warmed up some frozen breast milk I still had in the freezer and put it in a bottle. She began to settle as I prepared it but was still fussy and her eyes were read and swollen. I gave her the bottle and she sucked it up as the tears kept falling. She doesn’t have a fever, but something scared her.”  
“Nightmare?” Mulder asked as he sat down and placed Scully’s lower legs on his thighs so he could get as close to her as possible without waking up their daughter.  
“Maybe.” Scully replied. “I’m not sure how long she’s been asleep, but I’m afraid to move in fear of waking her.”  
Mulder nodded, “I admit when I woke up alone, I did panic a bit.”  
“I’m not going anywhere.” She sighed, “You need to get that out of your head.”  
“I know. I know that now, but the fear is still there. The nightmares that Tad O’Malley never showed up at my door and you found someone else and I lost you forever still happen every now and then. I can’t exactly shut off my subconscious.”  
“Did you have another one of those dreams?” Scully asked as felt trapped under twenty-eight pounds and thirty inches of baby girl.  
“No, the exact opposite really. That we were all together and living happily …just…someplace else.”  
“Where?”  
“A house…a big house…of ivory color…not too far from where we used to live.”  
Scully inaudibly groaned, “You need to stop bringing this up.”  
“I can’t shut off my subconscious. I told you that.”  
“But you’re obviously thinking about it so much that your brain decided to bring it to life.”  
“Maybe…” Mulder said as he began to trace his fingers up and down her legs, “But it’s not a crazy idea considering the last guy in charge. I just don’t think you should dismiss the idea so quickly. You’re an incredible person with a mind I envy and a heart as big as …well the biggest thing you can imagine.”  
“You’re not being very persuasive.”  
“My mind works better when the sun is up and I’m not in an Ambien cloud. But seriously, you should at least think about it. We’re not getting any younger.”  
Scully smirked at his comment as she took another moment to look at her daughter, “I just don’t want our lives put under a microscope.”  
“Things are different now. Everything is different now. I just know this is the path we were meant to take.”  
“Paths.” Scully slowly sat up as she held her daughter tightly, “I’ve been thinking of that a lot lately. After speaking with Beth yesterday, knowing there is another woman out there like me.”

“Well, you knew you weren’t the only one…”  
“Yes, but from everything I had been told and…shown…I was made to believe I was only one still alive. How many other women like Beth and myself are out there? And you? Clearly something was done to Patrick as well. We were both experimented on and tortured more than any human being deserves. Could we be the only ones?”  
“Highly doubtful.” Mulder replied, “But how would we even know? We look like normal people, and so do Patrick and Beth. Their children and grandchildren all look just as normal as William and Joy. We should at least talk to them, find out more about them and their children now that we know the truth.”  
Scully nodded as she slowly lowered her legs off her husband’s lap and after her bare feet touched the cold floor, she waited a moment before she stood on slightly wobbly legs to return her daughter to her crib. Mulder rushed before her to open the baby gate and closed it behind the three of them as they quietly walked back up the stairs. After placing the sleeping Melissa back in her crib and waiting a minute or two to see if she would awaken, they returned to their bedroom where Scully was more than happy to crawl back into her comfortable bed.  
“Just let me get a few hours’ sleep and then I’ll text Beth.” Scully said as she lay on her left side as Mulder got back into bed as well and lay on his right to face her, “Just to talk about things. I have no intention of doing more than that.”  
“Fine. Talking is good.” Mulder replied hoping talking would lead to more.

October 29, 2019 –1:02PM  
“In 1988, while detaining Monte Props, I was shot in the back, which severed my spine.” Pat said as he handed Mulder a beer from the stainless-steel refrigerator as they sat at the granite tiled breakfast bar, “They said I would be paralyzed from the waist down for life. I was fifty-one. It was my last big case and I planned to retire from the bureau after, but I did not want to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I admit, I wasn’t mentally able to take on such a challenge. Especially after my first wife Vicki left me because she said I cared more about a serial killer than her. I had dedicated my LIFE to the bureau, and this was what I had to look forward to?” Pat sighed as he leaned over the sink as Beth cooked up some of her famous pasta on the stove of the suite provided kitchen, “Are you good?” he asked Scully as she took a moment to check on Melissa who was content in the travel playpen with her Leap Frog Pal Violet who Mulder programmed to help Melissa learn her name and songs and words, but for now was just squishy and Melissa liked when it spelled out her name in a song which she still giggled at more than paying attention to the purple puppy.  
Scully looked at her half-finished glass of wine and nodded, “Yes, thank you. Please, continue.”  
Patrick nodded, “A man came to visit me while I was in the hospital. He told me of an experimental surgery that would allow me to walk again. I had already met Beth, and there was a connection there I couldn’t quite figure out as she helped me regain strength in the parts of my body not paralyzed. The fear I would never recover feeling again made me extremely suicidal, so this man’s offer was pretty hard to refuse.”  
“Spinal surgery isn’t that uncommon.” Scully said as the lavender stuffed puppy continued to sing M E L I S S A behind them.  
“No, it’s not, but I had already been through two with no results. What this man was offering was a simple injection into my spine that would essentially reconnect the spine at the point where it was cut. Like some kind of …super glue.”  
“Stem cells?” Scully asked as she felt the intense need to take another sip of her Merlot.  
“Alien stem cells…”Mulder said looking at his wife then back at Patrick, “I’m right aren’t I?”  
Patrick nodded, “At the time I laughed because who really believes in aliens?”  
Beth shook her head as she tossed some fresh garlic into the skillet.  
“But I was also desperate. Desperate to walk again and desperate to …be with the woman I loved.” He sighed and looked down at the sink, “So, I figured… what the hell. This man knew me, knew what I had done and as experimental as it was, I was already in a no-win situation, so I figured I had nothing to lose.” He said taking a deep breath before looking at the man and woman before him, “The injection was at ten pm. A doctor came in with a giant needle and as I lay on my stomach, he inserted it into the part of my back where I still had feeling. Even with the morphine, I felt it, and had to bite down on a pillow as to not awaken the entire floor. Then I passed out. When I woke up, I was no longer in the hospital but in a private hospice where a nice nurse named Angela brought me a glass of water and two pills. She said they were for pain and I took them and passed out. When I woke up again, I was in the same room and there was another doctor I didn’t recognize. He pressed a sewing pin against the ball of my foot, and I shot up in bed. First, amazed that I had felt the pin, and second that the operation had worked. The man who offered me the deal arrived a little later, closer to midnight and now he reeked of cigarette smoke.”  
“Of course, he did.” Mulder said as he quickly guzzled the beer in his hand.  
“He asked how I was feeling and then asked me to try to walk. I was afraid, given I hadn’t felt anything below my waist in weeks and still had a catheter and colostomy bag attached. But I felt compelled to obey this man and slowly lowered my legs to the floor before finding myself in a standing position with no trouble. No vertigo, no lightheadedness. Holding the bags, I then took a step. Then another. Amazed that my legs were now doing something I had been told by accredited doctors they would never do again. The next day the catheter and bag were removed. I was in this center for about a week, and in that time longed for Beth. I had told the man how much she meant to me, how I had never felt for any woman how I felt for her from the moment we met. He said he understood. How he understood how we had both felt since that first meeting in the hospital.” Pat said looking at his wife, “and what she did for me.”  
Beth smiled back at him as she lowered the heat on her sauce, “I was forty-three. I had given up on finding a man, having a child.” She said walking over to her husband and taking his hand in hers, “And here I had fallen madly in love with a man who had just been through a traumatic injury. Given my training I knew I could take care of him, and had no issue doing so, but I also feared he wouldn’t want to go on if he was unable to walk.”  
“It wasn’t just the walking...” Pat said as he placed his free hand on hers and squeezed it.  
Blushing a bit, Beth looked to Scully, “I knew the experimental surgery was a risk, but if it meant he would walk again I didn’t see the harm in trying. I was there when it happened outside in the waiting room and I heard the screams and as tears fell down my cheeks the man who had made the offer placed his hands on mine and said everything was going to be ok. That this surgery was going to mean that Pat could never be hurt again. I asked what he meant by that, and he walked me to another room where I was given an offer of eternal life with the man I had recently fallen in love with. The surgery wouldn’t be as easy as Pat’s was, but in doing so I would be helping society.” Beth shook her head, “I know it all sounds insane.”  
“We’ve lived through insane.” Mulder replied as he adjusted himself in his chair, “So you willingly allowed them to experiment on you?” He questioned Beth given Scully and the others they had met had just been taken without their consent.  
“The crazy things you do for love. I had always wanted a husband and children, but one of my ovaries wasn’t releasing eggs. The surgery he was suggesting would correct that issue, and I could have children. Even at my advanced age, I could have children much longer than most women and that the risk of birth defects would be minimal. I mean, who wouldn’t jump on that?”  
Scully had now finished her wine and as cloudy as her mind felt, it didn’t feel numb enough. “He told you…what would be done?”  
Beth nodded as she took Scully’s wine glass and refilled it, sensing she clearly needed more, “Yes.” She said placing the now filled to the rim glass in front of Scully, “It was called super ovulation. They would then remove all of my eggs, all of them.” She shook her head as she then took the bottle of Merlot and drank what was left of in the bottle, “They would then inject each egg – each MICROCROPIC EGG – with this…alien DNA…before inserting them back into my ovaries. The bad ovary was also corrected with the same foreign matter, before the eggs were returned. I honestly didn’t think it was possible; like putting a chicken egg back into a shell, but apparently it is.”  
“Are you sure they put them all back?” Scully asked as her mind instantly went to Emily.  
“He said they would…but…” She shrugged, “I have seven healthy and incredibly gifted children so I can’t really complain.” Beth sighed, “We would have had more, but there were complications with Janie’s delivery, and they had to perform a tubal ligation to stop me from bleeding to death. So, she was our last.”  
“I’m sorry.” Scully replied turning back to check on Melissa and seeing her sound asleep holding the stuffed dog who was half her size.  
“It’s ok. We were guaranteed a substantial amount of money for each child and each grandchild. I guess we don’t get anything for little Natalie now that Carl is gone.”  
“How much money?” Mulder asked curious as to how much money his father had.  
“Five hundred thousand for each child and two hundred and fifty thousand for each grandchild.”  
That was easily three and a half million just for their own children and Mulder realized he had still inherited much more than that, “Were you the only ones they made this offer to?” Mulder asked.  
“We wouldn’t know as we only ever met Carl. After I recovered from my surgery, was about the same time Pat was released from hospice. We got married immediately and Ben was born precisely nine months to that day.” She looked at the younger couple before her, “So, there you have it.”  
“And your children are normal?” Scully asked considering all she saw with William as an infant – before the other tests were performed on him – and now with Melissa and her development.  
Beth and Pat nodded in sync, “Our children seemed to develop faster than most. Ben was walking and talking before his first birthday and graduated high school at fifteen, but they’re normal.”  
“They never caught a cold or the flu.” Pat added, “Never broke a bone.”  
“Ben was an all-star. He played basketball and baseball.” Beth smiled proudly, “Trophies lined his bedroom walls.”  
Instantly the realization of what William could have been hit Scully square in the gut, “I need air.” She said getting down from the chair on wobbly legs as she walked to the door.  
“Do you want me to go with you?” Mulder asked as he got up as well.  
“No, stay with Melissa.” Scully said, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

October 29, 2019 – 12:55PM PST  
Pushing a cart around the overly crowded for one pm on a Tuesday Spirt Halloween store, William attempted to find a couples costume he didn’t hate. Avocado and toast was stupid, cheese and wine were…cheesy…but as his phone went off in his pocket it was the ring tone that said he needed to pick up.  
“Hey, mom.” He said as he rolled his eyes at the alien costumes.  
As she sat in her car, hearing her son’s voice was just what she needed as the tears she didn’t want anyone else to see fell down her face, “How are you?” she said sniffing a bit.  
“Are you crying?” William asked as a kid ran past him screaming.  
“I was, but it’s not important.” She replied, “I know we’ve discussed this over and over again, but I just have to ask you one thing.”  
“What?” William replied as he considered the cowboy and cowgirl.  
“Are you happy?” Scully asked. As generic a question it was, she needed him to answer her.  
William stopped walking and focused on his mother’s question, “Are you ok?” he asked genuinely concerned.  
“Yes, but I just need to know if you are.” Scully replied taking a deep breath as she watched couples leave their rooms and walk to the pools.  
“I am, mom.” William said as a little girl ran by him with an Ariel costume and he knew precisely what to buy.  
“Good.” Scully nodded to herself and shook her head a bit in an attempt to shake out the worry inside of it, “Where are you?” She asked given the sounds of children in the background.  
“Halloween store. We were invited to a party on Halloween and now we just need costumes. Joy is in class so it’s all on me.”  
“Ah, you father is forcing me to dress up as Wilma Flintstone.”  
“You HAVE to take photos!” William smiled at the visual as he tossed an adult Eric costume in the cart.  
“Only if you promise to destroy them.” Scully replied.  
“So, what spurned this call questioning my wellbeing?”  
“We met a couple in Jamaica…” Scully replied.  
William’s eyes widened as he realized he never told them the truth about the couple they had met, “Oh..them.”  
“Yes, I know your father asked you to run a check on them and you found nothing.”  
“That’s not entirely true.” William replied, “I just didn’t know how to tell you…”  
“That they run the Coalition for a Better World?”  
“That would be it. How did you find out?”  
“Beth told me. They’re with your father and sister now.”  
“Are you sure that’s safe?”  
“They don’t want to hurt us. Turns out, they’re just like us in some ways. Only Beth had seven children until she was sixty.”  
“Damn…”William replied, “So you found your others.”  
“In a sense, and now they want to put me in charge of everything.”  
“You’d make a great president. Better than we’ve had a in some time.”  
“You’ve been talking to your father.”  
“No, well not about that. He hasn’t mentioned anything about you running for political office just that you went back to medicine which is cool too. I just…”  
“Just what?”  
“Think you should broaden your horizons. Take a chance. The worst that can happen is you don’t win.”  
“Thanks.” She replied in a slightly sarcastic tone.  
“All I’m saying is don’t rule it out. Just think about it. It’s a new world, well a new United States. You should see the college campus. People actually talking to each other face to face now.”  
“I remember those days.”  
“Yeah, it’s different. You think we’d miss social media, but I really don’t. I’m sure something will eventually take its place, but for now we’re good.”  
“Well, I don’t want to keep you. Good luck on the costume and don’t let Joy out of your sight at this party.”  
“I don’t plan to.” William replied before they hung up.  
After sitting in her car for a few more minutes to collect herself, Scully returned to the room, knocking on the door as Mulder rushed to open it.  
Quickly noticing her eyes were red and a little puffy, Mulder’s concern grew, “What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing.” She smiled and placed her right hand on his chest, “I’m fine now.”  
“We didn’t mean to upset you.” Pat said as he placed plates and silverware on the breakfast bar for the lunch they had prepared, “We just wanted you to know we know what you’ve been through.”  
“I know.” Scully said kneeling before the playpen to watch her daughter sleep, “I just had to call someone.”  
“William?” Mulder replied sitting on the couch directly next to the playpen.  
Scully nodded as she looked up at him, “I guess I just needed to hear his voice and to know he’s ok…and happy.”  
Mulder nodded, “I understand where you’re coming from.”  
“I love these suites that come with a full working kitchen.” Beth said as she dished out the cooked penne onto the bare plates then went back to retrieve the skillet, “This is a recipe handed down from generations. My grandmother was Sicilian and married an Irishman, so she also has a great recipe for corned beef and cabbage, but I know you don’t eat beef.”  
Scully smiled as she stood up from the playpen, “Which leads me to ask, if you oversee the Coalition for a Better World, why do you still eat meat? Haven’t you heard what it’s doing to the climate?”  
“We don’t eat beef either.” Pat replied as he pulled the garlic bread out of the oven, “You said Smart Balance margarine was vegan? It was the only kind we could find at the store here.”  
“That’s fine.” Mulder said approaching the breakfast bar, “We do tend to cheat when it comes to dairy. If not for the vegan home delivery service we’d cheat a lot more.”  
“We’ve tried vegetarian for so many reasons.” Beth added, “It’s just so difficult to give up chicken and fish.”  
“We don’t push others, it’s just for our own benefit.” Mulder said pulling out the chair as did his wife as they sat next to each other and Beth and Pat served them before serving themselves.  
“On Thanksgiving and we go to the Phoenix mission to help cook for those in need.” Beth said as she sat down next to Scully, “Maybe one year you would like to join us.”  
Scully nodded as she picked up her fork, “I’ll have to see what my work schedule is like, but that sounds like something we would love to do.”  
Mulder nodded, “As long as you don’t expect us to cook a turkey.”  
Pat smiled, “No. Plenty of mashed potatoes to peel and cranberries to boil for you two.”  
After lunch, they sat around with their wine and beers and Scully fed Melissa sweet potatoes from a jar as she sat in her mother’s lap.  
“Sometimes I really miss that.” Beth said as she sat in plush royal blue chair across from the matching couch.  
“It’s even more fun when she spits them up.” Mulder added.  
“Just watching them learn, and their reactions to every new thing…” Beth sighed and looked to her husband, “I think we need to fly to Albany next week.”  
Pat nodded, “I’ll make the reservations later.”  
“Is that where you daughter is?” Scully asked as she wiped the tiny spoon on a cloth before closing the jar and tossing them all into the diaper bag.  
“Jessica and her husband Daniel, yes. She’s sent me plenty of photos of Natalie, but I just miss the feel of a baby. The money was nice, but I always wanted a large family and given I wasn’t sure how many I could have we…kept busy if you get my drift.”  
Scully nodded as she reached for her glass of wine from the coffee table as she held onto Melissa with her right, “You seem to have been able to pull it off quite well. Seven kids in seventeen years.”  
Beth nodded, “Carl believed we could start to make the world a better place by bringing better people into it. He called it a world of his design. If only he could have lived to see the outcome.”  
Mulder choked a bit on his beer before placing it on the coffee table, “You’re saying my father was initially behind the coalition.”  
“It was his idea.” Pat added, “A couple years back. He saw what was happening to the country and the world and wanted to put together a group of people to spearhead the creation of a new society and a new government.”  
“How many people are in this coalition?” Mulder asked.  
“About fifty.” Pat replied, “From all over the world, but half are in the United States. Most communication was via text or email or even Skype, but every three months we’d get together and discuss. At least those of us in the states. Many in the UK and Russia dropped out of the group once we were primarily focused on the United States.”  
“So, nothing will happen to the rest of the world?” Scully asked as she practiced the great art of holding her daughter while drinking wine.  
“For now, we can’t be certain.” Beth added, “Only time will tell, which is why we want to get a new and better government up and running. Those who have submitted applications for various positions of senators will have to undergo lengthy interviews to prove they are up for the challenge.”  
“The challenge?” Mulder asked.  
“Of proving they care more about the country than themselves. That they aren’t prone to take money from big tobacco or big oil or the damn NRA.” Pat replied, “But first we are working on a census to see exactly how many people survived and exactly where they are located to properly know exactly how many senators from each state we will need.”  
“So, you’re not sticking to two from each state?” Scully asked. “Just tossing out the constitution.”  
“Most of the constitution has been irrelevant for some time; it all depends on population. How fair is it to have TWO senators representing thirty-nine million people in California and one million in Rhode Island? At least that was the population in 2018.”  
“Isn’t that what congress is for? To represent smaller districts?”  
“We’re still working all that out. Trying to determine if we even need them. And this six-year term is out the window.”  
“Same with the lifetime positions on the supreme court. No one should have a lifetime appointment for ANY position. We all must prove ourselves daily.” Beth added with a certain annoyance to her voice.  
“So, none of the supreme court survived the event?” Mulder asked.  
“Some did, and those who did were asked to resign just as all of the surviving members of congress did.”  
“Guess we missed that…” Mulder said to his wife given they congress members who survived made news when they resigned.  
“We didn’t want it reported. Anywhere.” Beth shook her head, “The news media was warned.”  
“They only care about ratings and newspapers sold.” Pat replied as he got up to get another beer, “Do you want another beer, Fox?”  
“No, I’m good.” Mulder replied, “I still have to drive home.”  
“You’re more than welcomed to stay the night. We do have the other bedroom and we can have a crib brought in for the little one.” Beth said anxious to spend more time with this woman she saw as the leader of this new country and as a friend given she didn’t have many in Scottsdale since the women she knew cared more about playing golf and shopping.  
“I have work tomorrow.” Scully smiled, “But I appreciate the offer.”  
“Oh yes, work.” Beth sighed, “Working part time in a medical office.”  
“It’s what I want to do with my life now.” Scully replied, “I want to work, but also be with my daughter as much as possible.”  
Beth didn’t want to look as disappointed as she felt, all she could do was look to her husband who simply shrugged, “We can’t force her into a position she has no interest in undertaking.”  
Nodding in response to her husband, Beth turned back to Scully and went for her final pitch, “There’s a meeting the first week of December at a resort about an hour from Manhattan. All the remaining members of the Coalition will be there. By then the census should be done and we can go over how we’d like to see the country move forward in the next year. You’re more than welcomed to join us.” She looked to Mulder, “Both of you. All of you if you’d like to bring your son as well. Carl’s vision included you, Dana. He saw you as a savior of sorts; even if you don’t see it yourself.”  
Scully simply nodded, “I’ll think about it.”  
“I appreciate that.” Beth forced a smile, “All expenses paid. It’s a place used for corporate retreats, and well, we kind of see that as it.”  
“Crystal Springs?” Mulder asked.  
“Why, yes…” Beth replied a bit shocked he knew the location, “You’ve heard of it?”  
“We had a team building workshop there in 2000.” He said eying his wife, “I really sucked at Foot Golf.”  
Scully couldn’t help but smile at the memories. The first corporate retreat they made it to, and they spent most of the time in her room. “But we got first place in the chili cook off.”  
Mulder nodded as he looked to his daughter as she kept her eyes on Violet in the playpen, “We should probably get going though.” He said standing up, “Scully has your number and she’ll let you know if we decide to join you on this retreat of sorts.”  
Beth nodded and stood up as well, “We would just need to know before Thanksgiving.”  
Thursday, October 31, 2019 – 7:15PM  
As she sat at the table in the back, her hair in bun with a giant pearl necklace digging into her collar bones, kicking the ice in her glass with a plastic straw after finishing a vegan burger that was nothing to write home about, Scully openly sighed as she looked at the other people in costume in the restaurant. There was a Harley Quinn and Joker, a Maleficent alone with a beer at the bar, characters she didn’t recognize along with a cowboy who could have also been Woody from Toy Story. She didn’t want to say she was bored, but there were better things she could be doing with her time. Taking a fry from her husband’s plate she sighed as she waited for him to return with their Pebbles.  
The blue tie slung over his shoulders over the orange and black caveman gown, Mulder returned from the men’s room infant daughter in arms as he placed her in the provided high chair before tossing the diaper bag on the empty chair, sitting down and finishing up his non-alcoholic mojito.  
“I’m telling you, my goal, by the end of the year is to get her potty trained.” Mulder said as the visions of what he saw came back to him.  
“I told you not to rush her.” Scully replied in a very unenthusiastic tone as she desperately wanted a second drink. Or would this be her third?  
“I know, but caveman didn’t have to put up with this back in the day.”  
“You’re an evolved caveman.” She replied flagging down the server and holding up her glass.  
“That’s your third.” Mulder replied questioning why his usual light drinking wife was hitting them so hard tonight.  
“You’re driving.” She replied before sighing and adjusting the one strap on her Wilma Flintstone dress.  
“Are you ok?” Mulder asked genuinely concerned as he hadn’t seen her this, down, in quite some time.  
“You checked the mail, right?” She questioned.  
Mulder nodded, “Every day. I drive ninety minutes twice a day and I’m sorry, but it’s not there yet.”  
Waiting for her Colorado Medical License was becoming more difficult every day. There were only so many things she could do at the center without her license and she was starting to feel like nothing more than a highly paid intern. The server brought Scully her third mojito and she worked on doing what she could to escape the depression wanting to attack her brain.  
“Maybe I should knock you up again.” Mulder said watching how fast she sucked up the white tequila, “At least that would get you to stop drinking.”  
“And give me a purpose.” She replied after finishing half the drink in one swift motion.  
“You have a purpose.” Mulder said placing his hand on her forearm, “Just being you.”  
Rolling her eyes, something she really hadn’t done in years, she sighed, “Yip. Eee.”  
“I hate seeing you like this.” Mulder said as he picked up a fry and handed it to his daughter, “French Fry.” He said to Melissa as she took the fry, looked at it, then began to slowly chew on it without saying a word. “I think you’re depression is rubbing off on her.”  
“I’m not depressed.” Scully replied defensively, “I have nothing to be depressed about.”  
“Depression doesn’t work like that. It doesn’t need a reason to make you feel like you don’t matter, that nothing matters and no one loves you. I don’t want you to ever feel like that.”  
“Is that how you felt?” She honestly asked him, “Before…”  
Mulder nodded a bit, “You were gone a lot, and my mind told me it was because you were sick of me, that you only stayed with me because you felt sorry for me and needed to escape so eventually…you did.”  
Taking another long drink Scully finished the drink and then pushed it away, “I want to go home.”  
“What about the contest? The results aren’t for an hour.”  
“I may be a bit drunk, and I may not feel exactly like myself, but I want to prove I will never be sick of you.”  
“Works for me.” Mulder said waving down the server for their check.  
November 1, 2019 – 3:15AM  
November 4th, 2019 – the last day to withdraw with a partial refund.  
But she was on scholarship so that wasn’t an issue.  
As Joy looked over her paper for molecular and cellular physiology to be turned it and nine am that day, her mind went elsewhere. To the texts Heather sent of she and Hannah in Malibu, on the set of the movie she was making and telling her she had to come join them.  
She was supposed to be a doctor.  
That was the plan.  
But every day since she started at Stanford, she saw that plan becoming the last thing she wanted in her life.  
“It’s after three.” William said standing behind her at the desk they shared in the living room.  
“I didn’t mean to wake you.” Joy said looking at the two-thousand words of bullshit on the computer screen before her.  
Trying to understand what she had written, William gave up three words in, “Is this what distracted you at the party?”  
“This, and the fact I didn’t want to be there.”  
“You won first place in the costume contest. All the other Ariels just looked like sluts with bikini tops.”  
“Only because of my hair.” She replied as it was now in a messy bun on the top of her head. “I just don’t relate to those people.”  
“We don’t relate to a lot of people.” William sighed as he walked to the balcony doors of their apartment and looked out, “But it was nice to get out of this damn apartment.”  
“No one’s keeping you here.” She said in a flat tone.  
“Did I do something to upset you?” William asked as she had been in this monotone ‘meh’ state for some time.  
“No.” she sighed, “I don’t mean to take it out on you.” She said picking up her phone and looking at the Halloween photos Heather texted her only hours earlier, both women wearing school girl uniforms with skirts way above the knees, “I guess I just need a break.”  
“You’ve taken on twice as many credits as any other student. I told you this would happen.”  
“Is it wrong to want to get my life started as soon as possible?”  
“Only if you kill yourself in doing so.” William said walking back over to the desk and kneeling down, “You’ve been mumbling the word mistake in your sleep a lot. Just tell me the truth – am I the mistake. I can take it. I’ve been through much worse.”  
Joy looked over at him, his brown eyes looking lost and full of sorrow, “No.” she sighed, “But you’re the only thing that feels right here.”  
“Stanford.”  
“Stanford, school, all these classes.” She said looking at the paper and turning off the monitor, “Maybe it’s just a phase.”  
“The, I hate the choices I’ve made in my life, phase?”  
“Pretty much.” Joy replied before turning off her phone, “I know we’re seeing my mom for Thanksgiving, but I was thinking maybe we could go see Heather and Hannah for winter break.”  
“I’d like that.” William replied standing up, “We could use some southern California beach time.”  
“Most definitely.”  
November 4, 2019 – 11:15AM  
“Dana.” Dr. Amber Michaelson with shiny black hair and the perfectly straight white teeth and a chest Scully only had while she was pregnant, said as she walked into Scully’s office, “We are backed up in filing in the file room, can you help?”  
Looking away from her computer, Scully found herself just staring at this twenty-nine-year-old woman, “Excuse me?”  
“Filing, it’s really backed up and we need help getting charts put away.”  
Taking a deep breath as insulting this woman wouldn’t be the best reply, Scully simply stood up, locked her computer, put her phone in her pocket and nodded.  
“Great!” Amber replied a bit too enthusiastic, “It’s just been so busy here.”  
“I understand.” Scully said in almost a robotic tone as she followed Dr. Michaelson to the file room.  
November 4, 2019 – 12:PM  
“Burger King…I’ll show you an impossible burger.” Mulder said as he cooked the black beans and tossed in some onion and garlic powder.  
“Booger!” Melissa called out from her highchair with her baby carrots.  
“Bur-ger.” Mulder repeated back to her, “Booger is the thing I had to extract out of your nose this morning.” He replied squirming at the memory.  
“Booger!” she giggled back at her father.  
“Fine. Booger.” Mulder replied as the phone sitting on the island went off.  
“What’s up, Buttercup?” He said into the phone wondering how Scully would have reacted if he answered the phone that way twenty-years ago.  
“Did you get the mail?” Scully replied as she sat on a stool in the file room, tears running down her face as she feared she was close to a manic break.  
Mulder sighed, as disappointing her was the last thing he ever wanted to do, “Just got back fifteen minutes ago. I would have called if it was there.”  
“I give up.” She said sniffing and wiping the tears away.  
“It’s only been a couple of weeks.” He replied not needing to ask why she was crying because he had sensed her frustration building every day the license didn’t arrive.  
“They have me filing now!”  
“Six figure salary to be a file clerk isn’t all bad.”  
“I’m better than this!” she cried back tossing a SMI file onto the floor, “I did not spend four years in medical school and three years in residency to BE A FUCKING FILE CLERK!” she screamed not caring who heard her, “And if the state medical board can’t get off their ass and get me my license I’m going to find something else to do with the rest of my life!”  
Hearing her angry was upsetting, but the drive behind the anger is what Mulder focused on, “What are you saying?”  
“I’m coming home, and then I’m calling Beth.”  
Mulder couldn’t help but smile, “We’ll be waiting.”


	2. Crystal Springs Revisited

November 28, 2019 8:16PM  
“I’m starting to understand why people go crazy on Black Friday.” Mulder said scrolling through his phone, “Some of these deals…but would I kill someone for a TV? I don’t think so.”  
Finishing off her red wine with the vegan pumpkin pie, Scully put her plate on the coffee table before resting her head on her husband’s shoulder as he continued to scroll through his phone, “Don’t risk your life for an iPad Pro.”  
“I don’t plan to.” He replied, “Just seeing if there’s anything I can’t live without.”  
“Well, we don’t have time to shop anyway. We have to drop the cats and dogs off at the kennel tomorrow, fly out early Saturday morning to get to the resort that night, giving us a day of relaxation before the meeting. I can’t believe we’re going back there.”  
“I’m honestly looking forward to it. I would have enjoyed it more if not for the heavy doses of medication I was on and not being able to show true affection for you in public.”  
“And you know.” Scully replied picking up the bottle of Merlot and pouring what was left into her glass, “It’s just to see what they have planned. I haven’t decided on anything, but given my application for my medical license is still in the processing stage and the clinic said they would love to have me return when I do receive it, I’m just in a weird place of not knowing what I want to do with the rest of my life.” Scully exhaled deeply before taking a large sip of wine and turning to the man next to her, “And I honestly don’t think this country is ready for a woman president – especially someone they’ve never heard of.”  
“They were ready three years ago – minus the electoral college which we’ve been told WILL be eliminated.”  
Scully nodded and quickly finished her drink before placing the glass on the table before her, “You really think I can do it?”  
“I think, no, I KNOW, you can do anything you set your mind on and if I have faith in anything it’s that you can make this country a better place for everyone.”  
As much as she appreciated his confidence in her, she herself was doubtful she had what it took to be a politician. But at this time, the country was a different place right now and maybe a fiery redhead was just what it needed. Turning to her husband, Scully quickly threw her right leg over his lap and with her hands holding onto his shoulders for balance she straddled him as she looked deep into his hazel-green eyes, “Remember the tubs there.”

“I remember them fondly.” Mulder replied his smile turning upwards in a devilish way, “And we would no longer be sinning.”  
“I never saw being with you a sin.” She replied moving her hands to his neck, “Regardless of our marital status, God knew you were the only one for me.”   
Nodding in agreement, Mulder closed his eyes as the only one for him kissed him softly on the lips, his hands moving to her firm behind and kneading the black velvet of her pants as her tongue demanded entry and as he parted his lips, he felt the undeniable urge to take her right here on the couch. Her own hands moving down his chest she pulled at his jeans button until one word stopped them dead in their tracks.  
“MAMA!”   
The scream was so loud they didn’t even need the monitors to hear Melissa as they parted from one another like they were on fire. Mulder jumped over the bottom baby gate as his wife followed behind him. With shaking fingers, he unlatched the top gate to rush to Melissa’s room, finding her on the floor next to her crib crying for her mother. Scully turned on the lights as Mulder picked up the eleven-month old and proceeded to check her for any injuries.  
“We better go to the hospital.” Scully said as Melissa continued to scream in her father’s arms.  
Mulder nodded, “I thought I lowered the mattress enough that she couldn’t climb out anymore.” He said checking the red faced infant again as the tears streamed down her face, but there was clearly no blood or broken bones.  
“Give her to me.” Scully directed to her husband as he handed Melissa off to her mother who walked over to the changing table and placed the sobbing baby on her behind before pulling off her pajama top and feeling her arms and chest for any broken bones. Feeling her mother’s caring touch seemed to calm the child, and her cries lessened as her mother lay her on her back to remove her pajama bottoms and check the rest of her body for any injuries, paying close attention to her head and skull.  
Bringing her left thumb to her mouth, Melissa began to suck it feverishly as she lay before her mother and father in only a cloth diaper.  
“She’s fine.” Scully said looking up at her husband, “But clearly she’s outgrown her crib.” She sighed shaking her head, “I should have expected this when she weighed in at thirty pounds and thirty-two inches at her checkup this week.”  
“I guess the fall is what scared her.” Mulder replied as Melissa smiled up at him. “But are you sure we shouldn’t go to the hospital? She may have a concussion?”  
“We wouldn’t know until she showed symptoms, but I didn’t feel any depressed areas of the head and there is no clear fluid coming from the eyes or ears, but we should keep an eye on her tonight. I can’t believe she’s almost a year old.” Scully sighed, as she placed her right hand on her daughter’s chest to feel her heart beating normally, “And I still can’t believe we were blessed with such a miracle.”  
Mulder nodded, even if his chance at making another one was interrupted, “It’s only eight-thirty. I’ll see if I can get a bed ordered for her tonight for delivery tomorrow. If not, it will have to wait until we get back.”  
“And then she will sleep with us. I’m not risking this again.”  
Mulder sighed as he exchanged a look with the wide-awake calico sitting up in the rocking chair, “Oh, I’ll get that bed.” He said walking out of the room to retrieve his phone from the living room determined to eventually get back to where they were not ten minutes earlier.  
November 29th, 2019 – 3:30PM  
Most people on Black Friday trample one another for a TV, but while his wife was dropping off the cats and dogs at the kennel for the week, Mulder drove the four and a half hour drive to the closest Pottery Barn to pick up a bed which was not only Greenguard Gold Certified, but was also made of organic materials. They didn’t sleep much the night before, making sure Melissa was ok and given she was her normal self all night and showed no signs of a concussion – per his wife – a trip to the emergency room was not needed. As he drove the two-hundred and sixty miles home on I-25, Mulder not only questioned his sanity, but why he chose to build a house in the middle of nowhere. At the time it made sense, aliens were going to destroy the world and he wanted to be as far away from everything as possible, but now he just wanted to be in walking distance of a grocery store.  
Having picked him up a six pack of craft beer for his efforts, Melissa played with Violet in the travel playpen as her parents attempted to put together the wooden bed as the grey star bedding dried in the washer.  
“I feel like it was just yesterday you were putting together the crib.” Scully said as she handed Mulder one of the guard rails, “And now…”  
“They grow up fast.” Mulder replied as he put the rail in place to screw onto the base.  
“What are we going to do with the crib?” Scully asked as she sat back down and watched him work the red handled screwdriver.  
“Put it in the attic.” He replied then stopped for a second, “I refuse to give up on it happening again.” He said giving her a small smile before going back to his manual labor.  
“Wouldn’t that be hilarious. Sixty-year-old woman running for president pregnant with her third child.”  
“Oh, by the time you’re sixty I feel we’ll be on our fifth.” He smiled again before standing up and looking at the half-done crib, “But even if it doesn’t happen again. I’m happy with what we have.”  
“Me too.”  
By eight the crib was done, Melissa had been fed and was sleeping comfortably in her new bed where even if she did try to crawl out it would be a six-inch fall based on her height instead of a four foot one. Dinner was Gardein crab cakes and steamed potatoes along with the craft beer reward. The house quiet, Mulder took a long shower as his freshly bathed wife double checked their three suitcases – Melissa’s pink one being the easiest to pack – to make sure they had everything they needed. Winter break wasn’t until the fourteenth of December and after inviting William to join them, he informed his parents that Joy was having a rough time with classes and they would spend a week into the break with Hannah and Heather, before spending the rest of the holiday break with his parents. Given how close they had gotten since being reunited with their son almost a year earlier, Scully missed him terribly, but was also grateful he wanted to stay in Stanford with his girlfriend as he was more concerned with her wellbeing than his own. As she thought about the calendar on the fridge and all the dates filled in Scully’s mind began to race with all she wanted to do for her daughter’s first birthday and all she needed to do for Christmas.  
She had absolutely no time to run for office.  
Her mind buzzing in different directions as she stood in the middle of her bedroom, she didn’t even hear the shower stop running until the smell of menthol from his Nivea body wash took over her senses and his damp arms wrapped around her.  
“Stop obsessing.” Mulder said as he nuzzled his head into her neck, “Everything is done. Anything you didn’t pack we can buy when we get there.” He said as his hands moved to the tie of her burgundy robe and began to untie it.  
Feeling his hardness press against her back it was not only clear that he barely dried off after his shower and water spots were probably forming on her nice hard wood floor, but he also didn’t even bother covering himself with a towel.  
“Something got you worked up.” She said as his hands moved inside the open robe and up her chest, her eyes closing as his palms closed over her breasts.  
“The more I think about you becoming the most powerful woman in the world the more worked up I get.”  
Her heartrate beginning to race at the prospect herself, Scully melted into his touch as he began to kiss her neck, his hands moving to the neckline of her robe and slowly pulling it down her naked body as his kisses continued down her spine. Praying her daughter wouldn’t interrupt them again as the robe fell to the floor and Mulder slowly turned her to face him, his tongue now focusing on the part which craved him the most as he pulled her right leg up to brace on his shoulder as his tongue dived deep inside her. Trying to control her moans became difficult as Scully braced her hands on his head, her nails digging into his skull, as Mulder gripped her tightly from behind and continued to lick and nibble until her hold tightened and she shook over him as the pleasure coursed through her veins; her mind screaming as she controlled herself from making a sound.  
November 29, 2019 – 8:58PM  
The flights from Durango to Denver, and then from Denver to New York were uneventful as Melissa slept most of the way or watched some Disney cartoons on the screen in front of her. As much as they wanted to limit screen time from their child’s life, they also didn’t want an entire plane of people hating them as their daughter played with all her noise making learning toys. After arriving into the JFK airport, they rented a car and drove to the resort in New Jersey they remembered so fondly from their first visit nearly twenty years earlier.  
“No hiking. No Foot Golf.” Scully said as the memories of that trip came flooding back the closer, they got to the resort.  
“A lot has changed.” Mulder replied taking a minute to look at the sleeping beauty in the car seat in the back seat, “A lot.

By the time they were checked into their room, it was close to ten and Melissa was out for the night. The room they were provided was a two-bedroom suite and one of the rooms had two double beds, but a small bed for a toddler had been provided. After awakening the child for just a moment to change her into her pajamas and make sure her diaper was dry, Mulder placed her in the small bed with removable gates, tucking her in tightly before pulling up the small wooden gates and locking them into place.  
Leaving the room, he found his wife sitting on the edge of the very high off the ground king sized bed, wearing only a black silk nightgown he hadn’t recalled seeing in some time, “Not exactly winter wear.” He said approaching her.  
“I don’t expect to be cold.” Scully replied placing her hands on his grey sweater and looking directly at him, “Whatever happens this weekend, I don’t want it to affect what we already have. We are finally at a good place in our lives and I don’t want anything coming between that.”  
Placing his hands over hers and entwining his fingers around hers, Mulder nodded in agreement, “I would never let that happen.” 

“I know.” She sighed, “It’s just nice to hear it out loud sometimes.”  
“I understand.” Mulder replied gently squeezing her fingers a bit, “How about we break in that jacuzzi tub?”  
“I thought you’d never ask.”  
December 1, 2019 – 12:30PM  
Breakfast was pancakes and strawberries in bed.  
A fifty-minute couples massage was gifted to them by their hosts that afternoon after Beth and Patrick’s son Ben and wife Casey would arrive with their six children, one boy approximately Melissa’s age, as Casey was a licensed child care worker and pre-school teacher Scully felt at ease letting Melissa stay with them while they received their massage, and as Beth put it every so subtlety ‘some much needed alone time.’  
“Jacob and Gavin are six, Timothy and Brandon are four, Alissa is three and Alex is almost two.” Casey said as Scully entered another two-room suite with a full kitchen, but still didn’t look like enough room for eight people.  
“How do you find the time?” Scully said holding Melissa close to her as the older children sat at the table with workbooks and the younger ones were on the floor with toys.  
“Thankfully I can run on four hours sleep. If that.” The petite young blonde woman said as she closed the door behind Mulder. “And…I just found out I’m pregnant.” She said smiling way too big for a woman pregnant with her seventh child.

“Your parents must be thrilled.” Scully said trying to sound happy for the young woman who looked like she had never been pregnant a day in her life with the shape she was in.  
“They were killed in a car accident my senior year of high school.” She said walking Mulder and Scully to the couch next to a roaring fireplace, “I had been dating Ben for about two years and his family just took me in.” she sighed like a teenager in love, “He’s the best thing that ever happened to me, but we waited until I finished college to get married and start our family, so we’re constantly making up for lost time.”  
Lost time? This woman was thirty…  
Scully felt she needed to keep smiling as she sat down on the couch with Melissa on her lap. Melissa’s own bright blue eyes filled with wonder at the sight of other children drawing on a large Aqua Doodle mat near the main bedroom.  
“You can put her down…she’s completely safe here.” Casey said unable to ignore the wonder in the little girl’s eyes.  
“I’m thinking she may be too young for the toys. She’s only eleven months and I don’t believe she can even hold a pen yet.” Scully replied.  
“She holds baby carrots just fine.” Mulder replied, “No harm in letting her try.”  
Reluctant, but realizing he was correct, Scully placed Melissa on her little pink sneakered feet and allowed the little one to waddle over to where the other kids were playing. Alissa, the only other girl sat up as Melissa looked at all of them.  
“Green?” The blonde-haired Timothy handed a green marker to Melissa who they watched take it with no hesitation.  
“See, like a baby carrot.” Mulder replied proudly as Melissa sat down with the other children and after watching the others for a few minutes began to doodle on the mat.  
“She’s like a sponge.” Mulder added, “All she has to do is watch someone do something and she absorbs it, aside from potty training.”  
“That is the hardest.” Casey replied, “I didn’t get Alex fully trained until last week and that was something, I was truly thankful for.”  
“And you’re just going to go through it again.” Scully said to the young woman.  
“For as long as my body gives me the gift of life, I will be thankful.” Casey replied then laughed at herself, “I sound like I’m in a cult, don’t I?”  
“A little...” Mulder said taking his eyes off Melissa for a second.  
“I’m sure in time I will just be done, but I love being pregnant. I know it’s not easy for all women, with the morning sickness and the weight gain, but those never happened to me. Every pregnancy was easier than the previous and my first two were twins!” she shrugged, “I was an only child and always wanted a big family, I’m just lucky enough to have met a man who could give me that.”  
“Where is your husband?” Scully asked.  
“He’s picking up his parents at the airport. Their flight from Phoenix got delayed a bit. They should have been here by now. Thankfully we live in Connecticut so it was just a drive in the SUV for us.”  
“Beth said he worked for the United Nations.” Mulder replied, “What exactly does he do there?” as Beth wasn’t too specific Mulder was honestly curious given the current state of this nation.  
“He’s a political affairs officer. He was a political science major and basically saw the world going to hell and wanted to do all he could to help make the it a better place. Thankfully he’s fluent in French which I must say is beneficial in many areas, but mostly because he needed to do a lot of traveling. Not so much now with all the kids and his work is much more needed here.”  
“After…everything that happened.” Mulder asked as his wife watched his daughter interacting with the other children.  
Casey nodded, “It was a terrible thing, but it also needed to happen. We were going down such a dark hole I fear the country would never come back from. I didn’t want my children growing up in that kind of world. As it is, I’m homeschooling them until I know it’s safer out there.”  
“How will we know when it’s safe enough?” Scully honestly asked given her own desire to protect her child.  
“When those put in power do the right thing. When children can walk into a school without fear of being shot.” Casey replied looking directly at Scully, “Do you own a gun?”  
Given the two FBI issued pistols – with their serial numbers filed off - in a locked box she had to be honest, “Yes, I do.”  
“Do you keep it locked up?”  
“Yes.”  
“In a storage room you need a code to get into.” Mulder added, “And even then, it’s in another box you need another code to get into.”  
“Good. That’s how it should be. I don’t believe it’s possible to ever get all the guns off the streets, but that if you do have them, you should have the good sense to keep them locked up and away from children and those who want to cause harm to others.”  
“Unfortunately, it’s impossible to control other people’s actions.” Scully replied, “Speaking from over twenty years’ experience in law enforcement.”  
“Well, getting rid of the NRA and assault weapons would be a start.” Casey replied as her voice began to rise, “There’s no need for those to be in any civilians’ hands.”  
“Well that we can agree on.” Scully replied looking to her husband who nodded in agreement.  
“Our appointment is at one.” Mulder said happy to change the subject as he looked to his wife, “Do you think it’s safe to go?”  
Scully looked back at her smiling daughter as she traded markers with one of the twin boys, she had already forgotten the name of, “I guess so.”  
“Dana, she’s fine.” Casey said placing her hands-on Scully’s forearm, “Trust me, I put caps on all the outlets, and have plenty of toys to keep her occupied. Take as much time as you need.” She looked at both of them, “I know how hard it is to find time to yourselves with a baby.”  
Given they were extremely quiet in the jacuzzi as their daughter slept, Scully simply nodded as she stood up and walked over to her daughter, “Missy..” she said as Melissa worked on a scribble of a spaghetti monster. “Daddy and I are going to go now, but we will be back in a little while.”   
Melissa looked up at her mother and smiled, “Puppy!” she replied.  
“Puppy.” Scully smiled and stood up, looking to her husband, “It’s a puppy.”  
“Of course, it is.” He replied leaning down and kissing his daughter on the top of her head, “The best puppy doodle ever.”  
The last time Scully was at this resort receiving a massage she had a nightmare that she was pregnant and alone. She thought of that nightmare a lot as she found out months later that she was in fact pregnant at that time and found herself later very much…alone. As she never thought she could be pregnant, that dream haunted her a lot, especially when she found out she was pregnant the second time and feared the same outcome. As Jacqueline removed the stones from her back, she opened her eyes to see her loving husband looking directly at her; as she had stayed awake the entire time, taking in the soothing spa music playing around them, more than anything she just wanted to go back to their room to spend some real ‘alone’ time.  
By five pm, the ache of worry about her baby came over Scully and she got out of the warm bed with her husband and got dressed to retrieve her daughter from the Stapleton’s daughter-in-law. The room was quiet when they knocked on the door, no sounds of children playing which instantly sent fear into her heart, but when Casey opened the door, she placed her finger to her lips and whispered that they were napping. Five seemed rather late for a nap and Scully feared she’d have trouble getting Melissa to sleep later, but as Casey walked them to the bedroom with the two double beds and she saw her daughter sleeping between the younger twin boys all fears immediately left her body.  
“She’s only been down for about thirty minutes.” Casey said as Mulder reached over one of the boys to pick up his angel without disturbing them, “We had some tofu and apples for lunch then the kids played with some little people and she was rubbing her eyes so I put her down to rest for a bit. She really is a beautiful child.”  
Scully smiled as Melissa’s long blonde eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened to see her father, “Dada..” she said softly before her eyes closed again.  
“She had a nap at eleven so I’m not sure why she would have been so sleepy.” Scully said growing concerned that her fall two nights earlier had caused more damage than she realized, even though she had shown no other symptoms of a concussion or skull fracture.  
“I see it a lot. Children who are not used to socializing with other children get worn out faster.”  
“Well, she’s not even one…” Scully replied feeling she was being criticized for her parenting skills.  
“I didn’t mean to sound insulting.” Casey said as she walked them out of the room and closed the door behind her, “I know she’s too young for pre-school, but you may want to reach to some mommy and me groups. I’m sure you could use some female companionship as well.”  
“There’s a bit of an age gap.” Scully replied given she didn’t want to be the grandmother of the groups.  
“I understand.” Casey crossed her arms and looked at the little one asleep on her father’s shoulder, “But she’s a very sociable girl and it could be nice for her to have other kids to be around. Just a thought.”  
“So, do we leave now or tomorrow.” Mulder said after tucking Melissa into her bed and returning to his own room, closing the bedroom door behind him as his wife paced.  
“I can’t believe I came all the way here to have my parenting insulted.” Scully said as her brow furrowed and her nails dug into her own skin as her arms were crossed so tightly Mulder feared she’d cut off her own circulation.  
“That’s not what she meant.” Mulder replied picking up the room service menu as there was no way they were leaving the room now.  
“I looked at those “mommy and me” classes. I almost walked into one. I was old enough to be all of the MOMMYS MOTHER!”  
“I know. You told me that day.” He sighed thinking a big bowl of spaghetti might carbo control the angry woman in front of him.  
“So, excuse me for wanting to protect my child from the judgmental people out there.”  
“Casey wasn’t at all judgmental towards you.” Mulder replied, “She just said it would be good for Missy to be around other kids. That. Is. All.”  
Scully sat down on the bed and looked to her husband, “But she’s not like other kids her age. This is what will happen if I do what you want me to do. We will be judged. All of us.”  
“You do realize you’re saying this to the guy who was called Spooky for over twenty years.”  
“I’m serious. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.”  
“It is.” Mulder replied tossing the menu on the bed and picking up the house phone. “Now, I’m going to order a lot of pasta and a bottle of wine. Do you want anything?”  
“To go back in time thirty years when it was apparently more acceptable to have a one-year old child?”  
“Ok, two bottles of wine.”  
December 2, 2019 – 8:15AM  
The meeting was at nine am in the main meeting room – the same meeting room they had to meet in nearly twenty years earlier for their team building seminar. Every now and then Scully thought about that week and the people she encountered. Most of the other seasoned agents had also retired as many don’t stay in the bureau after their sixtieth birthdays, but it was more so the younger ones she thought about – most notably the younger agents they had roomed with who had started a relationship back in the academy and were terrified of being separated, but had thankfully been partnered together in Denver. Last she checked they were still partners, and still working in Denver. Sometimes she felt like looking them up, but in the same respect realizing they might not even remember her. Now, as she fought with the cowlick bump on the top of her head that picked now to refuse to conform, there was an ache in her stomach that made her wonder if they had even survived the event.  
“Mulder.” She called out to the man in the main room feeding Melissa applesauce as she wondered if shaving her head would be a good look.  
“She’s almost done…and she can almost hold the spoon just like the marker. Sadly, her aim is a bit off.”  
“Can you come here.” She continued as she began to dig in her accessories bag for a hair clip to pin the bastard down.  
Putting the lid on the applesauce and placing it on coffee table along with the tiny spoon, Mulder picked his daughter off the couch and carried her applesauce covered face to the bathroom. Looking up at her in the mirror Scully couldn’t help but wonder if any applesauce got in her mouth.  
“New baby face mask?” Scully asked the male reflection in the mirror.  
“I had to at least let her try.” Mulder replied grabbing a washcloth and wetting it a bit before wiping off his daughter’s mouth and nose. “Did you need something?” he said tossing the applesauce covered washcloth in the sink.  
“Do you ever think about Ted and Katie?”  
Mulder narrowed his eyes at his own reflection as he pondered the names, searching for their relevance until it came to him, “Oh, from here?”  
Scully nodded as she pulled the hair from the front of her face to the top of her head and pinned them in place, forcing the cowlick to stay down. “I remember looking them up when we returned to the bureau three years ago, but now I can’t help but wonder if they…survived.”  
“I’m sure they did. They were good, cautious people. I know there are a lot of bad eggs in the bureau, but last I checked they didn’t have a red mark against them.”  
“Unlike yourself.”  
Mulder shrugged as he found a rogue piece of apple on Melissa’s cheek and wiped it away with his finger, “I got out alive – as did you. In the end that’s all that matters.”  
“Well.” Scully looked at her reflection then turned to face the man behind her, “Are you ready?”  
“I’m not the one being asked to lead this new civilization; the question is, are you ready?”  
Scully took a deep breath and nodded, “I think so.”  
Mulder smiled as he handed the fully dressed Melissa off to her mother, “Good. Because I have to pee.”  
With Violet in her arms, Scully carried her daughter to Ben and Casey’s room to drop her off for the meeting. The children were still having their breakfast when they arrived and Casey’s hair resembled that of a blonde medusa and she didn’t look even half as put together as she did the day before.  
Scully’s eyes widened as Casey walked them into the room, letting the door shut behind them as she went to one of the four travel Instapots and cursed it for being too hot.  
“Is this the same woman we met yesterday?” Mulder whispered to his wife as one of the blonde boys asked for blueberries and Casey looked like she was going to burst into tears because all she had left were raspberries.  
“Casey? Are you ok?” Scully asked given she was now fearful of leaving her daughter in the care of this woman who seemed much more frazzled than she had yesterday.  
“I’m fine…” she said removing the lid from one of the bowls and using a large spoon to scoop out some oatmeal into a ceramic bowl, “Steel cut oats. They’re the best they say, and they are, but they take twice as long to cook and Jacob was hungry at four, Alex at three and you know how I said I never got morning sickness before? Well I can take that back because I’ve been throwing up since one.” She said taking a moment to stop talking for fear of something else coming up, and as she felt the one saltine cracker, she ate twenty minutes ago trying to come back up, she pushed past Scully to the bathroom where the sounds of retching could be heard throughout the room.  
Shaking his head, Mulder looked at the trail of oatmeal on the carpet, “She is human.”  
“I don’t think I feel comfortable leaving Missy here now.” Scully said as Missy waved to Timothy who came running over from the couch to great them, “Can Missa play with my trucks?” The blonde boy in the buttoned up blue pajamas asked the tall people holding his new friend.  
“Down!” Melissa demanded as she squirmed in her mother’s arms.  
Exhaling deeply, Mulder looked around at the children and the cartoons blaring and the sounds coming from the bathroom, “I have another idea.” He said to his wife, “The meeting starts in thirty minutes and you need to be there much more than I do.”  
“No, I NEED you there.” Scully said through clenched teeth as she held Melissa tightly.  
“I’ll be there. I just have an idea.” Mulder said, “Take Missy with you.”  
“Well, I had already come to that conclusion myself.”  
“I will be there. Just GO!” Mulder said walking his wife and daughter to the door before placing the diaper bag over her shoulder and literally pushing them out the door before turning and looking down at the sad Timothy looking up at him, “Don’t get too attached kid, she’ll break your heart.”  
In her fifty-five years on the planet it took a lot for Scully to get really scared – about anything. Two ‘miracle’ pregnancies aside it took a lot to get her truly terrified. As she walked towards the meeting rooms fate as she held thirty pounds of courage against her, unsure what would greet her on the other side of the door, Scully took a deep breath and took hold of the brass handle and pulled the door open.  
To an empty room.  
Did she have the wrong room? Pulling her phone out of her pocket she scrolled with one hand to the last text from Beth and, no, she was in the right room.  
“Sorry we’re late.” Beth said entering the room behind her, a little bit shocked to see Scully holding her infant daughter, “I thought Casey was going to watch the children?”  
“She was, but she didn’t look very well this morning.”  
Looking a bit concerned Beth shook her head, “Casey can’t get sick.”  
“What do you mean?” Scully asked as she adjusted Melissa on her hip.  
“She’s like you. She can’t get sick.” Beth sighed and pulled out her phone, “Ben had to run into the city for a bit, but he should be back soon. He needed to pick up some last-minute documents.”  
“Where’s Patrick?” Scully asked given she was told so many other people would be here, “And the others?”  
“They should be here soon as well; please just take a seat and get comfortable.” Beth said walking out of the room with her phone.  
“Well, I guess it’s just the two of us. What would you like to discuss? Big Bird or Ernie?” Scully said as she found a seat near the end of the table and sat down, placing Melissa on her lap and Violet on the table to at least entertain Melissa for a bit.  
Beth returned a moment later and sighed as the door closed behind her, “They’re all on their way, they were delayed at breakfast.”  
“We just ate in the room. It’s easier.” Scully replied as Melissa pressed the purple dog’s paw and began to sing the Melissa song.  
Beth sat down across from Scully and couldn’t help but smile at the little girl, “She’s your spitting image.” Beth said as Melissa giggled at her doggy.  
“She has her father’s eyes.” Scully replied.  
“I can see that too.” Beth sighed again and checked her watch, “This really doesn’t bode well for our organizational skills, does it?”  
“It happens.” Scully replied checking her own watch, “I’m more so concerned about Casey. She really didn’t look well.”  
“She’s fine.” Beth replied pulling out a laptop and opening it before her, “She’s in her first trimester.”  
“With so much already on her plate.” Scully replied, “Just juggling one is hard, but six? And all under the age of seven?”  
“Twins run in her family and ours so it was bound to happen.” She said looking up from her computer at Scully, “Do they run in yours?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” Scully replied, then remembered the dream she had and the twin children she was told about.  
“Well, given what we are asking of you it’s probably for the best you only have the one.” Beth said as she typed something into her computer.  
Another five minutes or so passed before the door opened and people began to flood into the room, Patrick, along with Marita who nodded at Scully and about ten others Scully didn’t recognize.  
“I assume this seat is for Mulder.” Marita said as she approached Scully.  
Scully nodded, “Yes, when he gets here.”  
Marita smiled and took the seat next to the empty one, taking a moment to look at Melissa, “My, she’s grown in the last few months.”  
Scully nodded as she didn’t expect her daughter to be on display for all these people to gawk at, but considering the alternative she felt it was best. As the others got seated and the clock ticked closer to ten, Scully pulled out her phone and texted Mulder asking where he was.   
“I’d like to thank you all for being here.” Beth said as Patrick handed out binders to all those sitting, including the empty chair Scully hoped her husband would soon be occupying.  
Bringing Violet to her lap and pressing the off button on the toy’s back, Scully slid the folder closer to her which had in bold Times New Roman font “The United States of America 2020-.”  
“If you will please open your binder to the first tab.” Beth instructed as Patrick hooked her computer up to the main screen which showed a map of the United States in purple. “As you all are aware, an event took place on July 4, 2019 which drastically changed the makeup of the United States. In the meetings previous to this we discussed a new government as the previous one was clearly not working for a majority of the people of this great country.”  
Still no reply on her phone, Scully became more distracted with wanting to see three little dots appear on the screen than she was with what Beth was saying.  
“The constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, nearly twenty years after the United States declared its independence. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. As you may now realize, that is very much outdated. Our goal is to create a new constitution that better represents the current framework of this nation.”  
“You want to rewrite the constitution…” Scully asked completely dumbfounded.  
“Yes.” Beth replied, “Just like the framers did in 1787 we need to establish a new form of government.”  
“One that works.” Patrick replied, “No more parties. No more super PACs or electoral colleges. One person, one vote.”  
As far-fetched as this all seemed, Scully couldn’t really blame them. As she checked her phone again for a response from her husband and seeing none, she went back to the binder before her.  
“The Constitution advises that the Senate be composed of two senators from each State and that a senator must be at least thirty years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for nine years, and, when elected, be a resident of the state from which he or she is chose; a senator's term of office is six years.” Beth read straight from the binder, “This is where one of our biggest issues with the current constitution lies. Two senators from each state. Before the event, the state of California had a population of thirty-nine million people. Montana, had a population of one million. One. Million. That’s five hundred thousand people for each senator in Montana, and nearly twenty million for each senator in California. I don’t need to be a math genius to see something wrong with those figures.”  
“What are you proposing?” Marita asked as she was incredibly interested in this aspect of the new government. She had planned to leave the coalition after the event, but now she wanted to be a part of creating a better country.   
“But the state of California currently has fifty-three representatives.” Scully said looking at the state by state chart in front of her, “Doesn’t that more accurately represent the population?”  
“We’ve decided that the two branches of government no longer work. We will have senators from each state representing a percentage of the population. This will not be decided by party, but by the voting public.” Beth replied answering both of their questions.  
There was the sound of children behind the door and Mulder walked in holding the youngest of Ben and Casey’s children as he held the hand of Alissa and the others followed behind.  
“We hate to interrupt.” Mulder said nodding to his wife, “But Casey isn’t feeling very well so I figured she could use a break. We’ll just be in the corner over here with the Aqua Doodles.” Mulder nodded to the older children to walk to the corner of the room with the mats and the markers.  
“Excuse me.” Scully said as all eyes were on Mulder and the children as she got up with Melissa and her stuffed puppy to follow her husband to the back of the meeting room. “What are they doing here?”  
“Ben got back about ten minutes ago and took her to the hospital.” Mulder said placing Alex down on his feet so he could join his siblings, “She started bleeding.”  
“Oh no…”Scully replied as she placing the fidgety infant down to play with the others.  
“I told him we’d watch the kids.”  
“We…” Scully replied looking down at the six children and her one child as they grabbed for markers, “Mulder…”  
Biting his lower lip, Mulder looked to Patrick and Beth whose concern also grew, “They don’t know so keep your voice down.”  
“What did Ben tell them?”  
“That he was running late coming back from the city. He didn’t want to worry them as they’ve known Casey most of her life.”  
“They’re going to notice eventually.” Scully said looking back at all the eyes upon them.  
“Just get back to your meeting. I’ll handle the kids.”  
Scully nodded before looking at all the well dressed and bathed children, “Did you bathe and dress them?”  
“Someone had to.” Mulder said sitting down next to Melissa and proceeding to pick up a red marker and doodle next to his daughter.  
“You’re incredible…” she said softly as she walked away.  
“I know.” Mulder replied keeping his eyes on his own red, big eyed alien.  
“Is everything ok?” Beth asked as Scully sat back down in her seat.  
“Yes.” Scully replied, her mind now focused that Mulder was able to bathe and dress six children in under an hour. “Mulder said he’d watch the kids so Casey can rest.”  
“That’s very sweet of him.” Beth replied looking back at the grown man coloring with the kids.  
“Very…” Scully replied taking a deep breath and turning her attention back to the very thick binder, “So, I guess this all relies on the new census. Has it been completed?”  
“Yes.” Patrick replied clicking a button on his wife’s laptop to reveal updated numbers, “We didn’t receive the updated numbers until this very morning as there were some issues with the machines in Maine, but as you can see the population of the United States as of 2018 was three-hundred and twenty seven point two million people. Today…” he pressed another button, “It is currently sixty-five million people.”  
Even Mulder’s head popped up from his doodle at that number, “Sixty-five?” he said looking at the map with the population for each state, and California now at six-million people and Montana at three thousand.”  
“I feel ill.” Scully said closing her eyes as the room became very quiet.  
“I know it’s all quite shocking that we lost a fifth of the population of the United States in one evening, but as you can now see it’s what needed to happen. And clearly, you all survived to be here today.” Patrick said to those looking shell shocked around him, “You all agreed to this in the beginning.”  
“I didn’t.” Scully added as she slowly opened her eyes and tried to ignore the weight pressing on her heart.  
“Nor did I.” Mulder replied as he was now focused on drawing a blue whale to go with what Melissa said was a cat but more so looked like his iPhone headphones when he pulled them out of a bag.  
“I know the numbers are quite dreadful.” Beth added, “But in the last five months have we heard of any mass shootings?”  
“Well, you did eliminate social media which is where a lot of people, myself included, got their news.” An older black woman who looked to be around Scully’s age pointed out.  
“Well, there haven’t been any. Clearly, the remaining citizens do not feel the need to walk into a school or a big box store with an automatic rifle.”  
Wishing she had just stayed home and filed medical charts, Scully looked over at her husband and daughter playing with the other children then turned back to Beth, “So, now what? You create this new government, assign senators to each state based on the current population and pick someone to become the president and you expect the country to be perfect?”  
“We’re not picking anyone.” Beth replied defensively, “That’s up to the people of each state. Anyone who is above the age of thirty and is a citizen of the country and the state they want to represent is welcomed to apply to run for senate. As we try to level the playing field some, we are working on this from a grass roots aspect. No candidate is allowed to spend more than fifty-thousand dollars on their campaign. Accounting records will need to be provided up until the election, and in doing so any candidate spending more than they are allowed will be removed from running. We also expect complete transparency from ALL candidates. If you were arrested smoking marijuana in the nineties, we want to know about it.”  
“Will there be a limit as to how many people can run?” Marita asked as clearly, she wasn’t involved in the initial planning party.  
“We are currently looking at a limit of five, as too many can muddy the waters and make it difficult for a citizen to choose, but there will be no parties nor are candidates allowed to run on any specific platforms in regards to healthcare or any other hot button topics.”  
“Then how will anyone make their decisions? Usually you would base your vote on the party or the platform.” A younger man who had to be in his early twenties pointed out, “You’re asking for people to run for office with just the slogan ‘I want to make this country a better place.’  
“Exactly.” Beth looked around at the faces in front of her and the confusion and somewhat distrust, “Did the old way really work? People screaming about a woman’s right to choose or protecting your right to own an assault rifle? We are starting from scratch here, to see what would work best for the country. Putting the right people in charge and every year, EVERY YEAR, there will be a new election and if that person isn’t pulling their weight they will be replaced.”  
“What about the Supreme Court?” Another woman asked, “Those are lifetime positions.”  
“Not any longer.” Patrick added, “The last five years or so has proven that doesn’t work. The Supreme Court will be an appointed position as well, but those justices can and will be removed if necessary.”  
Scully looked over at her husband and envied that while her mind was spinning, Mulder was mindlessly doodling.  
“What about the president?” Another man asked, “We currently don’t have one.”  
“And it’s a peaceful way to live, isn’t it?” Beth replied looking directly at the man.  
The man shrugged, “Maybe.”  
“We will have a president, that a very vital and necessary position and as we have less than a month left of this year we, have limited time for an election with the candidates we have already chosen.” Beth said looking directly at Scully.  
As all eyes turned to her, including the man on the floor, Scully’s own widened at what Beth had just said, “What?” she asked, “You said this was just to talk about it.”  
“Yes.” Beth replied, “Which is what we are doing. If you would all turn to the second tab in your book you will find that one of the candidates we have chosen, who is also here with us today, is more than qualified to perform the duties expected of her.”  
And there it all was. Behind the red tab was her life in bold Calibri print. Dana Katherine Scully born February 23, 1964 to William and Margaret Scully. As she started flipping through the pages of the last fifty-five years of her life, Scully began to feel sick. This was biography she had never written. Where did they even get all of this?   
“On October 16, 1994 Dana underwent a medical procedure which combined her own DNA with that of an alien species of superior intelligence.” Mulder had now grabbed the binder to read what others were reading about his wife, “Therefore, she will never fall victim to the diseases which can plague other humans and is now an immortal being.” Mulder looked down at the woman he had loved for more years than he hadn’t and looked directly at Beth, “Who wrote this?”  
“All of the information in the binder is factual.” Beth replied flatly  
Mulder flipped through pages, “On May 22 2001, Dana gave birth to her first child. A son who would possess the unique abilities to move and control objects and with his mind including making any person or object spontaneously combust at will.” Mulder slammed the binder shut, “Factual or not, you didn’t need to include that.”   
“We need to be as transparent as possible. Now, if you see any information that you believe isn’t true, we can make the necessary changes.”  
“You aren’t going to release this.” Scully asked her voice shaking, “To the public.”  
“Heaven’s no.” Beth replied, “This is simply for the coalition to know why we chose you.”  
“But it’s out there. A hacker can find it.” Mulder added given he had seen what his son was capable of with computers – and without.  
“We’ve taken steps to protect the information.” Beth replied, “If you’re worried about people knowing the truth.”  
“I’m concerned for my children’s wellbeing.” Scully replied, “My son, he doesn’t need the world knowing what he is capable of.”  
“Why not?” Another man asked, “If you had this gift, wouldn’t you want others to know?”  
“Why do you think Superman wore glasses?” Another woman added, “To hide his true identity.” She said shaking her head as she pulled the page out of the binder and ripped it up, “We chose Dana based on her faith, education and skills. The world doesn’t need to know this.”  
“Thank you.” Scully replied to the woman.  
“Katherine.” She smiled, “But you may remember me as Katie.”  
Scully leaned forward to look at the woman smiling back at her, her long blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun, “Katie?”  
Katherine smiled and nodded, “It’s been twenty-years so I can’t expect you to remember me, but I’ll never forget you.”  
“How was this coalition established?” Mulder asked the group which seemed to be about twenty people of varying ages and races.  
“We mostly looked to those in law enforcement, and humanitarian fields.” Patrick replied, “I met Katie when she was a child, as her father was an agent and a friend. We’ve stayed in contact throughout the years and when we brought up the coalition and the event, she asked to be a part of it.”  
“I don’t want my children growing up in a world of hate.” Katie replied.  
The last time she checked on Katie, three years earlier, she didn’t have any children; but now as Mulder walked to the end of the table where Katie sat, he could clearly see she was very much expecting, “How far along?” he asked her.  
“Twenty-eight weeks.” Katie replied as she placed her hand on her belly, “Twins.”  
Scully got out of her chair and walked over to see Katie as well, “Twins…”  
Katie nodded, “We’ve been trying for years, even invitro failed, but when I found out in in June, I called Pat, who has always been like a surrogate father to me, and he told me he needed to protect us. That’s when he told me about the event and made sure Ted and I were out of the area when it happened.”

“So, you’re still with Ted?” Scully asked seeing that he wasn’t at the table.  
“We’ve been married for twelve years, I just go by my maiden name because of my dad.”  
“But you still work for the bureau, both of you?” Scully started to wonder if all her research was for not.  
“Ted works in domestic terrorism; I work in cyber-crimes so I get to sit at a computer all day. Good thing, as moving has proved rather difficult lately.”  
“Is Ted here?” Mulder asked wondering what he’d look like now.  
“Yes, as I can’t really fly right now, we had to drive all the way up here. Let’s just say driving from Denver to New Jersey in the winter WHILE seven months pregnant is not anything I recommend doing.”  
Beth started to seem a bit agitated that the reunion had gotten them off course, and really wanted to get everything settled before dinner, “We can remove the sections regarding Dana’s children.”  
“Mama.” Melissa cried out from the corner, almost on cue “Potty.”  
“I’ll get her.” Mulder said.  
“No.” Scully replied getting up and stopping him, “She asked for me.”  
Rushing to her daughter, Scully picked Melissa up into her arms and carried her out of the room.  
“Who gave you all of this?” Mulder asked after Scully and Melissa were out of the room.  
“Carl Spender.” Patrick replied, “It was his intention to have Dana as the leader of this new world and in doing so that we were provided all of the background necessary to assess her qualifications.”  
“And what do her children have to do with it? Carl was dead before Melissa was even born.”  
“We need to make sure they won’t be a problem. Your son, does stand out as a potential issue.”  
“My son is fine and he doesn’t hurt anyone who isn’t intending to hurt him.”  
“And why isn’t he here? We were hoping to meet him as well.” Beth asked.  
“His girlfriend is in school and she’s currently having a hard time so he stayed behind to support her. Not the monster you painted him to be.”  
“We didn’t paint him as a monster. We just needed this group to be aware of what he is.”  
Mulder started to understand his wife’s fears about all of this and realized maybe being the new leader of the country wasn’t the best path for her, or them, “I think we made a mistake.” Mulder said closing the binder, “I think you need to find a new leader.” He said before walking out of the room and towards the ladies’ room.  
“Fox!” a young female voice called out behind him.  
Mulder turned around to see Katie waddling towards him with her right hand on her lower back, “Please wait.”  
Stopping so the very pregnant woman could catch up with him, Mulder watched Katie as she fought for breath, “Don’t leave.”  
There was a bench by the wall and Mulder motioned for Katie to sit down, and after helping her sit down, he sat down next to her, “This isn’t what we wanted.”  
“I know.” Katie replied shaking her head, “When I was catching up on all of this, seven months ago they were looking at other candidates, this is my fault. I said we needed Dana.”  
“But Beth said that was Spender’s plan.”  
“I know, but when he died, she decided to look at others and every other candidate they were looking into had skeletons in their closets. Even...I’m sorry to say…you. Did you really get cited for public indecency in London?”  
“Graveyard incident with a girl I was seeing. No one saw anything, we were just told to never come back. Even the FBI didn’t care.”  
“I think it’s kind of funny, reminded me of when we were here before and what we went through to be with our soulmates.”  
Mulder nodded as he looked again at Katie, “But they shouldn’t have included our children.”  
Katie sighed as she felt a swift kick to her right lung, “All I know is out of every single person they were looking at, all two hundred, Dana was the only one that stood out. She even has the catholic angle.”  
“Except she got pregnant before she was married.”  
“No one cares about that anymore, given you’re still together and are now married. It’s just like a sweet love story that took way too long to get started.”  
“Tell me about it.” Mulder looked at his watch.  
“As Beth said, there are other candidates as they have to make this a fair election, but Dana’s who they, we, want and need. They’ve already printed the ballots.”  
“Who are the other candidates?”  
“Another woman who was a children’s rights attorney and a man who graduated high school at ten, but Dana is the one.”   
“Trying to convince her of that will be harder than you all realize and she’s taking way too long. Do you mind?”  
“Sure. I have to pee every five minutes anyway.”  
Mulder stood up to help Katie to her feet then waited as she slowly made her way to the ladies’ room.  
Scully was placing the new all-one-cloth diaper with pink hearts on it on Melissa when Katie entered the room. Her face was red and a bit puffy as she had clearly been crying and Katie really wasn’t sure what to say as the little girl with the bright red hair and big blue eyes smiled at her as she sucked on two of the fingers on her right hand.  
“Dana, are you ok?” Was all Katie could think of to ask the woman putting on a diaper with trembling fingers.  
Scully nodded as she put the pink overalls back on Melissa before placing her in a sitting position, “Just seeing your life written out like that for everyone to know what happened to you.” She said brushing Melissa’s hair behind her ears, “It was a bit much.”  
“I get it.” Katie replied, taking a deep breath, “But you have to understand no one in that room wants any harm to come to you.”  
“But I also don’t feel comfortable with all of those people knowing what happened to me.”  
Nodding, as there was so much more, she needed to say but more pressing business was needing her attention, Katie took a deep breath to hold it for a moment, “Don’t leave.” She said before rushing to a stall.  
Scully couldn’t help but internally smile at the memory of those moments, as she looked at the little one before her, “It’s always worst in the last trimester.”  
“I’m very close to buying Depends!” Katie yelled back from the stall as she made it before she had an accident.  
“No one would blame you.” Scully kept her focus on Melissa as she played with the brass buttons on her pink overalls, “Twelve years?”  
“Yup.” Katie said before the toilet flushed and she walked out of the stall and proceeded to wash her hands, “Thousands of dollars in tests and invitro, nothing.”  
“Miracles do happen.” Scully replied as Melissa smiled up at her mother.  
“I’m forty-two and I was tired of waiting for a miracle.” Katie replied drying her hands, “I had told Patrick about how devastating it all was, and he said he knew of a doctor who could help me.”  
Katie crossed her arms and just looked down at Scully, “And I don’t regret my decision.”  
“What are you trying to tell me?” Scully said zipping up the diaper bag and picking up Melissa.  
“Every single person in that room knows what you’ve been through. By choice, or in your case not by choice, we’re all the same.”  
“You chose to be experimented on?”  
“I chose to be a mother.”  
“How can you be sure what you’re carrying is…” She didn’t want to seem insensitive, but the same fears plagued her nineteen years earlier.  
“Human?” Katie replied as she placed her hands on her expanded belly, “They’re human, and yes, they’re Ted’s. I wasn’t injected with an alien embryo; I just had my own genetic material…enhanced.”  
“Enhanced.” Scully shook her head, “Why would you do that to yourself?”  
“Because I was sick of coming home to a quiet house. To ignoring every single family holiday. Not talking to my brother because he had kids and I didn’t. We tried adopting, but they after the invitro wiped out our savings we didn’t have enough money. The system is broken and I know I should have been perfectly happy with my two dogs and four cats, but I wanted a child.” Katie’s eyes began to fill and Scully saw the same look of sadness she saw in her own eyes when she went to San Diego for Christmas while Tara was pregnant with Matthew.  
Realizing she could no longer chastise this woman for the choices she had made in her own desperation to be a mother, Scully merely nodded and looked at herself in the mirror, “Does Ted know?” she said to her own reflection before turning to Katie, “What you had done?”  
Katie nodded as she wiped the tears away from her face, “Yes. He knows I underwent a procedure to make it easier for me to get pregnant. But I still had two miscarriages before it…stuck.”  
“When did you undergo this procedure?”  
“Four years ago.” Katie replied, “Every time I missed my period, I got so excited, then I would lose them. I feared it didn’t work, but the doctor told me this could happen until the pregnancy was perfect. Maybe I was meant to have twins.” She smiled a bit as she took another look at the beautiful child in Scully’s arms. “I know you didn’t have a say in what happened to you, but can you honestly look at that face and regret anything?”  
Scully shook her head, “I guess I thought I was the only one.”  
“Far from it.” Katie replied reaching out her hand for Scully to take, “How about you meet the others?”  
Given Scully had pretty much ignored everyone else in the room aside from Beth, she took Katie’s hand and followed her out of the ladies’ room to see Mulder standing two feet away from the door.  
“Everything ok?” He asked.  
Scully nodded, “Yes. Apparently, we’re not as unique as we thought.”  
“Oh, you are.” Katie replied, “But you also have a lot in common with the rest of us.”  
The group returned to the room where the other members were flipping through the binder; all Scully could think of as she placed Melissa back with the other children and Mulder sat down as well, placing Melissa on his lap, was that all these people knew exactly what she had been through.   
Sitting back down, Scully looked at the words before her – her life in cliff note format – and simply closed the binder as she didn’t need the memories.   
“Are you alright, Dana?” Beth asked.  
Scully nodded and looked around the room, “Why me?”  
“We’ve discussed this.”  
“No, you said it was Spender’s plan to put me in this position, but Spender is dead so why do you even still want me? I’m sure there are plenty of qualified people at this table or in the country who could take on this task. As it is, if you’re starting from scratch when it comes to creating a new government and constitution there are plenty of previous leaders who would do quite well.”  
Beth nodded, “I understand where you’re coming from, but Spender’s initial plan was a new world of a specific type of people.”  
“Alien and human hybrids.” Scully replied flatly.  
Beth nodded as she looked around the room, “There are more people who fit that description than you may know.”  
“I’m beginning to realize that.” Scully said looking around as well, “By choice?” she asked the panel given the varying ages.  
“No.” Marita replied, looking directly at Scully, “Mine was a form of punishment for working against Spender.” She took a deep breath and shook her head, “For that very reason I decided not to have children; to not give him what he wanted. Yes, I took part in this group because I didn’t like the direction the country was going in and I have no regrets in regards to my part in the event which took place, but I’ll be damned if I bring any more children into this broken world.” Not that she ever really wanted children anyway.  
“Bringing better people into the world was his vision.” Beth replied directly to Marita.  
“Yes, I’m well aware of that vision, it just doesn’t mean I agree with it.” Marita replied as she had seen first-hand what some of these special children were capable of, but they would all be adults now and if they were even still alive – aside from Jackson who she knew was Scully’s son.   
“That’s the point.” Patrick added, “We wanted to put someone in place who was like us. Could represent the vision for this new world. You have the drive and the intelligence to be a great leader and as we spend the week working on the new government, we hope you will understand why we chose you and come to a decision.”  
“I’ll have to think about it.” Scully said looking at the binder, “A lot of thinking.” She said looking around the group, “It would help if I had the chance to get to know all of you.”  
The others nodded in agreement as Scully’s gaze went back to the man doodling with seven children.  
By lunch Ben had returned and took his children back to his room as Casey was ok, but needed to be in the hospital for a few days. His parents offered to move to his suite to help out leaving Mulder and Scully alone in their own room with the binders, a napping Melissa and minds in twenty different directions. At least.  
“I’m really not sure how you can get sixty-five million people to agree to a new government.” Mulder said as he sat on the king-sized bed and flipped through the binder, “But their proposals make a lot of sense.”  
Crawling onto the bed, after putting Melissa down for her nap, Scully rested her head on her husband’s shoulder and looked at what he was reading, “If four-fifths of the population vanished in one evening and you found yourself lucky enough to survive such an event, I’m pretty sure you’d agree to anything to stay alive.”  
“Guess that’s the point.” Mulder sighed and closed the binder, “I may have been listening at the door when you were talking to Katie.”  
“Figured you were.” Scully replied as he took her hand in his.  
“I do recall you being pretty desperate to have a child that you were considering some strange procedures.”  
“If only I’d known that it had already been done to me.”  
“I’m just saying, you can’t fault her for making the decision she made.”  
“I don’t, well now I don’t.” she said looking directly at her husband, “But I didn’t get to make that choice.”  
“I know.” Mulder said softly as the ache of those times always stayed with him, “But we have two beautiful children. We can’t change the past, we can only appreciate what we have.”  
“I do. Melissa smiles at me in a way that makes me feel…” she shook her head, “I can’t even describe it.”  
“Like you have a purpose.” Mulder replied, “At least that’s how she makes me feel, and she makes me feel the need to be a better person.”  
“You’re an incredible person.”  
“As are you.” Mulder picked up the binder, “I didn’t need your life outlined to know that.”  
“I really don’t like that they did that. I don’t need twenty strangers knowing what happened to me twenty-five years ago.”  
“They don’t have to be strangers – and maybe they needed to know they weren’t alone.” Mulder adjusted himself, “We have a week to get to know each and every one of them, but for now I’d really like to take advantage of Melissa’s nap time.”

Given the morning’s events, Scully didn’t feel like being very sociable and after a small dinner with her family they spent the rest of the night in their room. At a little after two am, Scully found herself wide awake, and alone, in the king-sized bed with a light coming from the closed door to the main room.  
Sitting on the couch with the binder in his lap, Scully came up behind her husband and rested her chin on the top of his head, “It’s two am.”  
“I know.” He replied flipping a page, “I’m almost done with this thing.”  
“How long have you been awake?” She asked walking over and sitting next to him on the couch.  
“I never really went to sleep.” He replied, “I don’t want to be dependent on the medication so sometimes I just go without.”  
“That’s not healthy.”  
“Yes, doctor, I know.” He said giving her a sly smile, “But it happens.”  
“Is there any particular reason you haven’t been sleeping?” she asked, “Or is the same one for the last five months.”  
“Same one.” He replied turning another page, “All of this. The fact that because of my biological father, millions of people were basically exterminated. I guess it just became all too real once I knew the number.”  
“But you’re not your father. The exact opposite actually.”  
“I know, but…” Mulder sighed and closed the book, but kept his focus on the binder, “Also the fact that a group of people determined if others were worth saving with just basic statistics like education, lineage or even blood type. You can’t know who someone really is with just that rudimentary information. Some of the greatest minds never graduated high school or college.”  
“I guess we should just be grateful to still be here.”  
“Well, I also can’t help but wonder if I didn’t have the luck of you finally marrying me if I wouldn’t have saved.”  
“Mulder…” Scully sighed as she pulled her legs up under her and pushed her body closer to his, “I truly hate when you get like this.”  
“I know you do, but you want me to be honest and this is honestly how I feel.”  
“Is there any way I can make you realize your worth for more than just putting a ring on my finger?”  
Mulder shook his head as he looked directly at the woman two inches away from him, “I don’t know, but it would help if you would at least think consider their offer. Make some good out of everything that happened by showing this country what a true leader looks like.”  
“You really believe I can do this?”  
“I told you, I believe you can do anything, and maybe moving back to DC is the path we were destined to take. As much as I claim to never want to go back there, sometimes I honestly miss it.”  
“But you put so much money, time, and effort into that house and we’ve made it a home.”  
“And it will remain our home, but for now I just think our, your, services are needed elsewhere.” He said looking back at the binder, “As we are not a dictatorship, they can’t just put you in the position.”  
“That would make it too easy.”  
“There are other candidates they are considering, various ages, races and genders. So, as much as I know you can do the job and you are the best person for it, it needs to be up to the voting public.”  
“As it should be.”  
“So, run, run like you want this more than anything, and if you don’t win we will just go back to our big house in the woods and raise our daughter to be the next Einstein, but if you do win we will return to the city where we met twenty-seven years ago and work on making this country the greatest nation it can be.”  
“You rehearsed that, didn’t you?”  
“I told you, I don’t sleep.”


	3. The Perfect Candidate...

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019– 9:35AM  
“CHEEWIOS!” Timothy bellowed.  
“French toast.” Jacob eyed Mulder as the older man had his own daughter on his left hip as he used his right arm to grab the various Tupperware containers of cereal.  
“Cereal’s your only option, big guy.” Mulder replied as Melissa sucked on her left thumb and stared down at the five hungry boys and one quiet girl before her.  
“Fine. Honey Nut.” The six-year old with the mousey blonde hair and dark eyes replied as he huffed in his chair.  
“Wice Kwispies!” Timothy exclaimed as Melissa removed her thumb to smile at the boy.  
“You’re not even one!” Mulder replied to his daughter, “Stop looking at boys!”  
“Boys!” Melissa cheered in return to which Mulder groaned as he grabbed the Rice Krispies container.  
As he was doing well on this no sleep thing, Mulder once again volunteered to watch the kids as Ben visited his wife at the hospital. He promised to be back by lunch, but Mulder wasn’t concerned as he found spending time with a group of young children kept his mind off everything else going on in the world. In children he saw hope; and he needed a lot of that right now.  
Seeing her name on an official ballot made Scully feel an overwhelming feeling of…confusion. Was she happy? Scared? Anxious? Excited? All of the above. For the few hours she had slept the night before, her mind couldn’t help but wander to a place where with the power of a pen she could reshape the country. Equal rights for EVERYONE, elimination of the NRA – that was probably more of a pipe dream than anything – environmental protections….so much good for not only herself and her children, but the rest of the world. Sadly, as her head got big with the anticipation, the realization that just because this group wanted her to lead, that didn’t mean the rest of the voting population would, and as much as she could convince Melissa to eat yams, that didn’t mean she could convince the rest of the country she could make an ugly orange paste appeasing.  
Of all the metaphors.  
“As you can see, the ballot is comprised of one question. Just one. Who would you like to see be the next president of the United States of America?” Pat said as he sat at the table with the other committee members, “And we have three candidates who were chosen based on their education, humanitarian work and values.” He said looking directly at Scully, “As we have already made our personal choice, we are a democracy and with each ballot will be a quick synopsis of each candidate with just the basic, necessary, information.”  
“Dana K Scully, Alex P Jackson, Jamie L Thomas.” Scully read out loud, “All genderless names.”  
Pat nodded, “That was part of the idea.”  
“But if you Google you can clearly find out that Dana is a woman.” Marita pointed out.  
“Yes..” Pat replied, “But what percentage of the voting population is going to go to that effort?”  
“True…” Marita replied.  
“And all paper ballots.” Katie added, “For the thirty-seven million registered voters. All assigned to each registered voter so we will know who voted and who did not.”  
Pat and Beth nodded in unison, “We are currently working on a non-hackable app, but it will take some time to perfect, so for now we have thirty-seven million ballots being sent out to the registered voters. When we were conducting the census, we asked those counted if they were registered to vote and if not would they like to be. Informing them that the electoral college would not be a factor and that every vote would count. Less than ten percent of those counted chose not to register.” Pat replied.  
“That’s amazing.” Scully replied.  
“It is.” Beth said, “When you tell someone their vote will actually matter they are more inclined to do so.”

“So, those conducting the census informed everyone what happened?” Scully questioned.  
“Not in so many words. They let those remaining know that an event had occurred, which they had survived, and that changes would be coming. To the government, and to their very lives. I was told some were panicked, others excited.”  
“Guess I’m a combination of both.” Scully responded.  
“We all are.” Katie added.  
“As we work on going through the resumes and backgrounds of those who have applied to run for various positions, each member will be given a list of names and will then scour the internet and the provided database for any information which may make them less than appealing.” Beth continued, “Under the third tab you will see the names you have been given.”  
“Provided database?” Scully asked looking around the room, “What’s that?”  
“Essentially a data dump of twenty plus years of social media, the dark web, etc.” Marita added, “This was performed right before the event. All you have to do is search someone’s name and it will give you everything they ever posted publicly – or privately.”  
“Emails?” Scully asked growing a little concerned herself.  
“No.” Marita replied, “Unless they were on a government server and we’ve already been down that road.”  
“But…”Scully continued as she tried to think about every email she had ever sent in the twenty plus years she worked for the bureau.”  
“If you’re worried about your own email, don’t be.” Marita attempted to calm her fears. “Or Mulder’s.”  
“We took care of scrubbing that before the event as well.” Beth replied, “Given the position we want you to take, we made sure there was nothing out there that anyone could use to blackmail you. We can’t control the entire internet, but we could make sure to wipe any evidence you ever even sent a Happy Birthday email from a government computer.”  
Scully nodded, “I don’t recall using it for anything personal.”  
“We don’t recall finding anything insidious either.” Beth gave Scully a small smile, “Your husband, however.”  
“You don’t need to tell me.” Scully recalled given an expletive laced email he sent to Kersh in the late nineties.  
“With your credentials, people would be idiots not to vote for you.” Katie piped in, “Don’t worry, you’ve got this.”  
“But without ads, or even interviews? And when does this take place?”  
“The ballots will be finalized by the end of the week and will go out that day. Voters have until the eighteenth to return their ballots and we will begin counting every single vote until the twenty-third when we believe all postage paid ballots should have been returned. There is no cost to the voter, just the time it takes to research the candidates and vote.” Beth said, “We’re allocated enough money to cover the postage.  
“That’s nearly nineteen million dollars at the current postage rate.”  
Beth nodded at Scully’s quick math, “It’s fine.” She replied not wanting to get into specifics as to where the money came from.  
Scully nodded, but the uneasy feeling began to return. It made sense to not make the voter pay for their vote, but the cost was troubling.  
“The ballot reader will record the number of the ballot, which will then tie to the registered voter and will record their vote. We will then run them through two extra times to see if there are any irregularities, but we believe the three machines which are not hooked up to the internet are safe from hacking. If anyone questions if their vote was received, we have can then go back and look and verify with them.” Pat added.  
“That seems like a lot of work.” Scully remarked…and money she thought to herself.  
“Yes, well, voting should be simple, but when it comes to the next leader of the country we want to make sure it’s accurate.” Pat continued.  
“Understandable.” Scully said taking a deep sigh, “So, now I just …wait.”  
“Yes. The voting will be completed and baring any recount we should have a winner on the twenty-four and we will notify that person by phone.”

“Christmas Eve…” Scully said.  
Beth nodded, “We’re up against the clock if we want you, or whomever wins, to be in place by January 20th.”

“At least you’re keeping the same inauguration date.” Scully replied.  
“It gives the winner a few weeks to tie up loose ends and get moved into the White House.”  
“After it’s been fumigated.” Katie said as she adjusted herself and looked over her list of names.  
There was a low chuckle around the room before Pat cleared his throat, “Now, let’s get to these names.”  
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019– 05:35PM  
“A man actually was spreading the conspiracy theory that Kennedy was still alive and hiding in the desert with Marilyn Monroe and their five kids. Witness protection or something.” Scully said as she fell onto the king-sized bed and stared at the ceiling, “Seven hours of combing through the darkest stuff imaginable on eighty-three names to see if they were ‘good’ enough to run for office.”  
“How many passed the Scully test?” Mulder asked as he sat down next to her and proceeded to remove her shoes, tossing them on the floor before he began to massage her tired and aching feet.  
Smirking a bit at his comment Scully shook her head, “Twenty-two.”  
“That’s low.” He replied as he dug his thumb into the ball of her foot causing a small moan to escape from his wife’s lips.  
“That’s what happens when you say things you shouldn’t on the internet.” She replied eying him directly, “Or post nude photos of yourself.”  
“What’s wrong with that?” He asked, not that he had ever done it, but that it shouldn’t be something that was looked down upon in his opinion.  
“Purely because of blackmail possibilities.”  
“Ah.” Mulder replied, “How many names do you have to go through?”  
“Over one thousand, and that’s just MY list.” She sighed pulling herself into a sitting position and in turning pulling her feet away from the massager, “It just all feels so surreal. An election for president with three names and only their qualifications. No parties. No campaigning. Just. Names.”  
“Why three?”  
“In case of a tie? I’m not quite sure. With the other elections they will have five candidates; I guess it’s to give people more choices.”  
“I do like the no parties’ idea as the two-party system has been the country’s downfall for some time.”  
“It just doesn’t seem feasible. People aren’t just going to vote for a name, they want to get to know the person and what they stand for.”  
“You mean having rallies and screaming about building a wall?”  
“Not necessarily, but in doing that we knew where he stood.”  
“And how many horrible human beings stood with him.” Mulder said sighing deeply, “In any event, this could be a good thing. Who are you running against?”

“I’m sworn to secrecy. You’ll find out when you get your ballot.”  
“Paper ballot?”  
“Yup. That’s the only way they feel is secure these days especially given the last election.”  
Mulder nodded, “Guess we’ll just see what happens.”  
“DADA! POTTY!” Melissa hollered from her playpen in the other room.  
“Oh, now you’re on diaper duty.” Scully replied.  
Mulder turned to his wife with a proud grin, “Nope.”  
“Nope?” She questioned, “She called you.”  
“Yes, but not because her diaper is full.” He said standing up, “Let me tell you about my day.”  
Following Mulder into the other room, Scully watched as he picked the bouncing baby up into his arms, and carried her into the bathroom, after removing her leggings and diaper he placed the potty cushion on the regular toilet then cautiously placed Melissa on it in a sitting position before standing back and crossing his arms.  
“You know how she’s a sponge and can watch something once and do it, well watching me didn’t do her any good, but spending the day with other kids around her age and watching them do it….it just happened. She followed Timmy into the bathroom and watched what he did. She still has trouble getting her diaper off, but she knows to not go IN her diaper anymore.”  
“Three weeks shy of her first birthday.” Scully replied as she watched her daughter use the potty then reach her arms in the air to be picked up.  
“Which should be a record.” Mulder replied picking up his daughter and grabbing a baby wipe to clean her before putting the dry diaper and leggings back on.  
“Guess socializing was good for her.”  
“Yes, and as much as I enjoy those kids I am happy Casey is out of the hospital and I can go back to hanging out with adults.”  
“Oh yes, researching the deepest darkest part of the internet is lots of fun.”  
As Mulder handed Melissa off to her mother so he could flush the toilet and remove the potty cushion he was happy he packed just in case, there was a knock on the door.   
“Did I order room service and forget?” Mulder asked as Scully went to the door and checked the peephole before opening.  
“It’s Ben and Casey.” She replied opening the door to see the attractive smiling people staring back at her.  
“Good to see you’re doing better.” Scully said to Casey as she adjusted Melissa on her left hip.  
“Much better! Sometimes all you need is a good rest.” She replied as Mulder approached the door as well.  
“We want to take you out to dinner tonight, to thank you for helping with the kids.” Ben said, “My parents are watching the kids and one more wouldn’t be an issue.”  
“I am famished.” Scully replied.  
“Same.” Mulder said.  
“Let me just get freshened up.” Scully said as she passed Melissa on to her husband.  
“Did they know what had happened?” Scully asked Casey after they had all ordered and she had taken her first sip of cabernet.  
“My placenta tore.” Casey replied, “It happened with my second pregnancy, but it generally heals itself within a day.”  
“Heals itself. Wow. The human body is incredible.” Mulder said as he took a sip of wine as well.  
Scully shook her head, “It’s not the human part that does the self-healing.” She sighed taking a much longer second sip as she had been through the same circumstance while in her first trimester with William.  
Realizing it was best not to comment, Mulder simply nodded and gave his wife an understanding smile.  
“How did the last two days of meetings go?” Ben asked as he refolded the napkin on his lap.  
“Exhausting.” Scully replied not wanting to finish her wine before her meal arrived, “Seeing things I can’t unsee from the deepest darkest parts of the internet.”  
“The places people think they can hide their hate.” Ben nodded, “That’s why the IT team dug it all up so to speak. We can’t have people in charge who at one time in their life thought it was ok to wear black face or a hood…or worse.”  
“So much worse.” Scully sighed, “I guess in a way it proves no one is perfect.”  
“You are.” Ben replied, “That’s why we chose you.”  
“Believe me, I’ve done some very non perfect things in my life, but thankfully they were before social media and the internet.”  
Mulder nodded, “Same.”  
The younger adults looked at the two before them and Casey found herself just staring at the couple, “How long have you been married?”  
“Married?” Mulder began to turn the gold ring on his left finger, “Almost a year and half.”  
Two sets of blue eyes widened before them, “Really?” Casey asked, “I could have sworn a lot longer.”  
“We get that a lot.” Scully replied, “I told you I wasn’t perfect.”  
“But you’ve been…together...longer?” Ben asked now just as intrigued as his wife.  
The older couple nodded, “Given we worked together off and on for the last twenty-seven years it was kind of difficult to really have a true relationship.”  
“But because of that we had the time to really get to know each other before anything romantic did occur.”  
“And how long did that take, if you don’t mind me asking?” Casey asked as she had always been a romantic person and loved hearing about other couples’ love stories.  
“Eight years.” Scully sighed, “I know…”  
Casey smiled and nodded looking at Mulder, “I bet that was rough.”  
“You have no idea.” Mulder smiled as he placed his hand on Scully’s, “But I wouldn’t take any of it back.”  
“Me neither.” Scully sighed as her husband squeezed her hand gently just as the server was walking towards them with their meals.  
After dinner concluded, the two couples moved to the lounge where Mulder ordered three more glasses of wine and a bottle of Perrier for Casey as they made their way comfortable in the back where they could speak more privately.  
“Are you nervous?” Ben asked Scully as Mulder handed him the glass of Merlot.  
“I’m not sure nervous is the word I’d use.” Scully replied as she took a small sip of her wine before placing the glass on the marble coaster on the small table between them.  
“Terrified?” Casey asked.  
“Closer to that.” Scully replied.  
“I know we’re asking a lot of you.” Ben asked, “But we know you were the best choice.”  
“I’d have to agree.” Mulder replied.  
“It’s nice that you don’t see a problem with the coalition choosing Dana over you, Fox.” Casey said, “Shows what kind of man you are; that you don’t feel threatened.”  
“Honestly, I think women are better leaders and I see no one more capable of making this nation one to be proud of than the woman who made me wait eight years.”  
“Why?” Scully asked picking up her glass, “why do you see me as this great leader? I really want to know, from you.”  
“Why me?” Mulder asked.  
“You probably know me more than I even know myself.”

Nodding in agreement, Mulder took a moment to look at the woman before him and studied her. Studied every inch of her face of their twenty-seven years together, “Well…” he started sitting up straight, “From the moment we met you weren’t afraid of asserting yourself or questioning others...or anyone. You’re compassionate, even towards people who don’t deserve anyone’s compassion and there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do for the people you care about.”  
Her eyes locked on his, Scully skillfully took a hold of her wine glass and brought it to her lips, deeply exhaling before taking a very large sip and returning it to its marble coaster without looking away from the man before her.  
“I had a lot more to say, but I’m tired and it’s been a really long day.” Mulder smiled as he picked up his own glass but needing to see it on the table before he could make such a move.  
“That was pretty spot on.” Casey replied, more so moved by the tone of the man’s voice and the look in his eyes than the words he used.  
“I also know you have the foresight to surround yourself with good and qualified people. I, myself, and content just standing by and planting a vegetable garden.”  
Smiling in return, Scully nodded her reply before turning back to the younger couple before her. “It’s still up to the voters who will be voting simply on a synopsis of qualifications and faith.”  
“It’s better than what some have voted on in the past.” Ben replied, “And we have faith the voters will make the correct choice.”

Wednesday, December 4th, 2019 – 12:36AM  
Her eyes glassy from lack of sleep and strain, Scully stared at the laptop screen before her as the words began to blur into one another. She wanted to complete her of candidates to research, but after the kiddie porn she was forced to see at a quarter after midnight, she decided to take a break and start looking into others – mostly, herself.  
“You know it’s not smart to Google yourself.” A tired voice said as he placed his hands on her bare shoulders while looking down at the screen before her.  
“I have to.” She replied sighing at the thirty-seven-year-old face before her, “I need to get in front of this.”  
“Have you found anything that you deem disqualifying?”  
“Does having your name and likeness used for a horrible movie which should have never seen the light of day count?”  
“No.” Mulder replied smiling down at the top of her head.  
“Aside from this photo, which was on a Tripod site titled Hot or Not and that movie, I honestly can’t find anything about myself or you. It’s almost as if our lives were wiped from the internet.”  
“Maybe they were.” Mulder said turning to face her as he leaned against the hotel desk, “If they didn’t want anyone to find information that could be used against you. A cheesy website run by an FBI intern isn’t anything I would consider damaging.”  
“How did you know it was run by an FBI intern?”  
Mulder shrugged, “Because someone showed it to me after I got back from my very unpleasant trip. He was a nineteen-year-old kid in charge of cataloging badge photos, so he got an idea. You were eight months pregnant at the time, so I felt it best not to bother you with it. I was fired a week later so it all became pretty moot.”  
“I can’t believe it’s even still up.” She said returning her attention to the poorly designed website, “Just photos and names and hot or not buttons that blink.”  
“Early days of the internet.” Mulder said as he quickly clicked on the hot button which then displayed an eighty-six percent hot result. “Eighty-six.”  
“Seems pretty low.” She replied, surprised at how insulted she felt.  
“It’s a teenage boy’s website from almost twenty years ago. Don’t let it determine your worth.”  
“I’m going to have thirty-seven million registered voters determining my worth.”  
“Is that why you kicked me in your sleep? For the short period of time you did sleep?”  
Shrugging she took a final look at the website before closing the laptop, “My mind goes back and forth with all of this. When you kept pushing the idea I found it laughable, but now that I’m here and my name is on an actual ballot I really want it. Then I can’t help but think, if I do win…I have so much on my shoulders. The country, and how the world perceives us especially after all that has happened. Do I even want that responsibility? Can I handle it?”

“I know you can handle anything put in front of you. You’ve proven it time and time again.”  
“But this is big. And I want to take it seriously.”  
“Unlike the last guy.”  
“Exactly. We had a very traumatic event happen to this country which wiped out most of the population. I know people are still trying to process that, as I am trying to process all of it, and this is why I can’t sleep.”  
Nodding in agreement, Mulder looked at the closed laptop then back at his wife, “I have an idea. How about you take one of those pills that help knock me out and then take tomorrow for yourself. Stay in bed, order room service and I’ll take your place in the meeting and do the digging.”  
Nodding as well, Scully yawned as she stood up from the chair she had been occupying for the last two hours, “I think I may take you up on that.”  
“Good. You deserve a break because once you are president, I don’t see you getting very many.”  
“Funny. You seem pretty confident I’ll win.”  
“I am. And I don’t even have Russia in my contacts.”


	4. Casey

Wednesday, December 4th, 2019 – 12:40PM  
As a doctor, Scully knew it wasn’t safe to take someone else’s prescription medication, but given she had averaged four hours sleep a night and she could feel her body dragging as a result she knew she needed something to, in a word, knock her the hell out.  
She knew there could be side effects, she had heard enough horror stories, but as she stared at the white AMB 10 pill in her palm she realized the need outweighed the fear and swallowed it down.  
Nearly twelve hours later she opened her eyes and found herself alone in the king-sized bed having not even heard or felt her husband leave in the morning. Her head wasn’t foggy, and her body didn’t ache like it generally would after being in bed for so long. After checking the time on the alarm clock, she sat up and picked up her phone to check to see if anyone had missed her in the last twelve hours, only to find one text message from her husband asking her to text him when she awakened.  
She expected to have lucid dreams, but none appeared. She expected to wake up hungry or thirsty but was neither. Her mind was clear, and she actually had more energy than she expected as she got out of the warm bed and walked into the main room where her laptop was missing and the do not disturb tag had been placed on the doorknob. Picking up the room service menu she debated between a salad and a sandwich, but something else was gnawing at her and she needed to talk to someone before she was fully able to relax and eat.  
Casey opened the door wearing an apron and looking like the perfect June Cleaver as she let Scully into the room.  
“Fox said you’d be resting today.” She said as she closed the door behind her guest, “How are you feeling?”  
“Fine.” Scully replied, her fingers running through her freshly washed and blow-dried hair, “Actually feeling rested for the first time in days.”  
“That’s good.” She said walking into the kitchenette, “Just making lunch for the kids, have you eaten?”  
“No…” Scully replied as she watched Casey pull a casserole dish of macaroni and cheese out of the oven. “That looks delicious.”  
“It was my mom’s recipe.” She said as she placed it on the stove, “Breadcrumbs and everything. I do miss my kitchen at home though where I have two ovens.”  
“You really are June Cleaver.”  
“Who?” Casey asked as she pulled the oven mitt off her hand and grabbed hold of a spatula, “Would you like some?”  
“Sure.” Scully replied as the sight and scent of the cheesy goodness began to make her stomach rumble.  
Casey smiled as she pulled a stack of plates out of the cupboard and placed them on the counter, Scully watched as she used a stainless-steel spoon to scoop out a perfect portion and place it on the plate before handing it to her. “The forks are in the right-hand drawer.”  
Thanking her, Scully pulled a rainbow-colored fork out of the drawer and closed it before walking over to the seating area of the counter and placed the plate and the fork down in front of a stool before returning to Casey who was up to the fifth plate of macaroni when Scully picked up two, “Where should I take them?”  
“The coffee table is fine, it’s the perfect height for the smaller kids and Jacob and Gavin can eat at the counter with us.  
Nodding, Scully walked to the main room where the kids were so heavily invested in coloring that they didn’t even notice her, including her own child who was focused on a yellow flower. When Scully brought over the other three plates and placed them on the table she now turned to the children, her attention on Melissa, to let them know to come eat their lunch.  
Their heads poking up from the coloring books, Melissa looked up and her eyes widened, “Mama!”  
As she hadn’t seen her daughter since they picked her up from Casey’s the night before, and she was hardly conscious, seeing the girl’s bright blue eyes light up at the sight of her mother filled Scully with a joy she didn’t know even existed as Melissa rushed on wobbly legs and hugged her mother’s legs before Scully picked her up and cradled her in her arms. She wasn’t even a year old yet and was nearly as tall as the two-year old’s who rushed past her to the table. That fact that Casey didn’t even question this was the reason she had stopped over.  
The delicious cheese infused goodness was finished within minutes and as the kids returned to their books, Casey told them only thirty more minutes color time and then back to their workbooks. A collective groan from the older kids echoed the room as Scully smiled at the kids and her daughter returning to their coloring.  
“I still don’t know how you do it.” Scully said as she helped collect the dishes and bring them into the kitchenette.  
“They’re good kids, really.” Casey replied as she placed the dishes into the sink before turning on the water, “They don’t really fight, do what we say…we’re honestly blessed.”  
As much as Scully had grown to hate how overused that term had become, she could understand it from Casey’s point of view, which brought her again to the original reason she had come over, “Speaking of which…” Scully started as she watched Casey begin to quickly wash off the plates and place them in the drying rack, “When you were in the hospital, we told Beth you were sick and her response was that you were like me and you couldn’t get sick. What did she mean by that?”  
Nodding as she scrubbed Casey simply shrugged, “I don’t get sick anymore.”  
“But why?” Scully found herself almost pleading with the woman, “If you don’t mind me asking.”  
“I don’t mind.” She said fully focused on the task at hand, “Why don’t you wait on the couch and I’ll join you in a minute.” She said as she rinsed off a plate and placed it in the drying rack.  
Doing as she asked, Scully picked up her water glass and walked over to the couch, sitting down directly across from her daughter and watching as she moved on from the flower to a duck and never once colored outside the lines. Sighing deeply, she took a sip of water and remembered the calculous jokes Mulder had made earlier.  
“She’s how old again?” Casey asked as she walked into the main room and sat down next to Scully.  
“One on Christmas Day.”  
Casey nodded, “I really hope this one is a girl. I love my boys with all my heart, but I really want more girls.”  
“How many do you want?”  
“As many as I can have.” Casey sighed and looked at the older woman next to her, “I’m still surprised you only have the two.”  
Scully shrugged, “Just what God intended I supposed.”  
“God…” Casey picked up her own glass of water and looked at her children as they silently colored, “So, you want to know why I am the way I am.”  
“If you don’t mind.”  
Casey nodded again, “I met Ben when I was twelve. We were neighbors when my parents moved next door to his in Scottsdale. I was shy and never had many friends, but we just clicked. We didn’t really start dating until high school, and when my parents died he was all I had left in the world.”  
“How old were you when they died?”  
“Seventeen. Senior year of high school. The Stapleton’s took me in, even with their large family they made room for me. Even let me sleep in Ben’s bed because they trusted us enough and knew how much we loved one another. When we went off to college – The University of Arizona - we got a small apartment together as the dorms were not coed and we couldn’t bear to be apart. Unfortunately, college wasn’t as easy for me as it was for Ben. He sailed through all his classes while I struggled, not to mention my parents had been killed only months earlier and I hadn’t really processed that. You’ve heard of the freshman fifteen?”  
Scully nodded, “I was a victim of it.”  
“Well, there was the freshman fifteen, the sophomore twenty, the junior thirty…by the time I graduated I was over two-hundred and fifty pounds.”  
Scully looked at the tall yet extremely thin and fit woman next to her, her eyes widening a bit, “Wow.”  
“Yeah. But Ben never said anything. Every day he would tell me how much he loved me, that there was more to love etc.”  
Scully shook her head in disbelief.   
Unable to really ignore the look on Scully’s face, Casey got up and picked her phone up from the side table, scrolling a bit till she found what she was looking for, “Graduation Day May 12, 2010.”  
Scully took the phone from Casey and looked at the woman in the photo. She could tell it was Casey based on the facial features, but her face was fuller, and the rest of her was much larger than she was now. Nodding, still in shock, Scully handed the phone back to her, “Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished.”  
Scrolling some more, Casey handed the phone back to Scully, “July 17, 2010.”  
Now the picture before her more accurately resembled the woman sitting beside her, a smile as wide as the sky, in a gorgeous wedding dress with Ben beside her, “Wow…” Scully said again, “In two months.”

Taking a second to look at the photo before turning off her phone and placing it on the table, Casey sat back down, “Graduation night, Ben took me out to dinner. I was sure he was going to dump me based on my weight, but he proposed. The ring fit perfectly on my finger…” she said as she began to turn the silver ring with the large princess cut diamond on her finger, “We wanted to get married and start a family as soon as possible, but I didn’t want to do any of that looking the way I did. He never fat shamed me, the same couldn’t be said for my classmates, so it’s not like I had any friends to invite to the wedding, but I just didn’t like the way I looked and I wanted to look good for myself. I tried dieting, rice cakes for breakfast, diet shakes for lunch, but in two weeks I lost maybe three pounds. My feet hurt, my back hurt, and one day while planning the wedding with Beth I just broke down. I hated the way I looked, and I asked her what her secret was because I was fifteen when Janie was born and I never saw her gain a pound before or after so she sat me down and asked me if there was a surgery that would guarantee I would never gain weight again, have children for as long as I wanted with no fear of birth defects and never get sick would I consider it. Given I was highly sensitive at the time I said of course I would be, but that it didn’t exist. She said, it did. That weekend, as Ben yelled at her for trying to change me, we drove up to Kensington, New York to this clinic. I had to fill out pages of paperwork and have my blood drawn before they would even see me, so we stayed at a hotel where Beth told Ben she had undergone something similar before he was born, which is why she was able to have Janie when she was sixty and would have had more kids if there weren’t complications and she had to have a hysterectomy. She told Ben that’s why he was different. Why he never got sick, and why he learned things so fast including five different languages by the time he was eighteen. That he was, special, all because of a surgery she and his father had before he was even conceived.”  
“How did he take that?”  
“Not well. He stormed out of the hotel and I eventually found him at a bar on his fifth beer angry that he wasn’t as drunk as he wanted to be. I told him that whatever this surgery was that his parents went through to have him and that if I was being given the same opportunity, to be like him, shouldn’t I want that? And as much as he loved me no matter my weight, shouldn’t I want to look better and feel better so we can live as long as possible together?” she said as her eyes began to fill with tears.  
“Did that convince him?”  
“Eventually.” She smiled a bit as she wiped her eyes, “He was still pretty upset that it took his mother twenty-one years to tell him why he was special, but by the next morning when the clinic called to say I had been approved for the surgery he was feeling a bit better about things as we looked over wedding gowns in the single digits.”  
“Do you remember anything about the surgery?”  
“No.” She said shaking her head, “I checked in on a Monday, had a very nice private hospital room. Floral décor, my own bathroom, a nice bay window. I woke up on a Tuesday and was given a concoction that wasn’t bad, but wasn’t good, to drink for the next four days. It’s all I could eat or drink and I assumed this was going to be a serious shock to my system, but I was fine. I wasn’t overly hungry at all and I didn’t feel weird or anything, but over the next few days the weight just seemed to…dissolve.”  
“Dissolve?”  
She nodded, “I slept a lot, A LOT A LOT, and when I woke up I felt different, I didn’t have to use the bathroom that much but when I did I noticed my face getting smaller and the hospital gown getting looser. A nurse would come in, check my vitals and give me more of that drink and the weight just kept coming off. They didn’t let Ben or Beth see me until a week had passed and I missed Ben TERRIBLY, but they said I needed to rest, and I did. When I was released, Beth had to bring me new clothes, because what I had worn just fell right off me. When I entered the clinic, I was two-hundred and thirty-eight pounds. When I left, I was an even one-hundred and twenty.”  
“That’s amazing.”  
“I honestly felt like it was a dream, that I would wake up and be the same size I was before, but as the days passed and I could walk better, breathe better, I was just so grateful for what Beth and the doctors had done and in the last nine years, with the exception of the times I’m pregnant, I’ve always been the same weight. And even when I am pregnant I only gain about ten pounds and lose the weight within months of giving birth, but sometimes I wish I had that drink again to help speed up the process.”

“You would think that someone could make millions off that drink with all the diet pills out there.”  
“It wasn’t the drink alone that caused me to lose the weight, as Beth told me my entire genetic makeup had been altered. That I was still human, but now I was also…”  
“Alien.” Scully let the word slip out as she watched Casey slowly nod, “As a kid I always thought of aliens as scary green things that want to kill us all, but apparently that’s not the case. As they are just like us, just with an advanced biology which is why my kids walk at six months and talk at eight…” she looked at Scully, “I don’t regret my choice…do you?”  
“I wasn’t given a choice.” Scully replied as her own eyes began to wet, “I was taken against my will and this was done to me in a railroad car who knows where.”  
“Wow…” Casey shook her head, “I’m sorry…”  
“It’s taken twenty-four years to fully understand what happened to me, meeting you, and Katie…women who chose to have this done to them for whatever reason where as I, and Mulder, were experimented on without our consent.”  
“I understand, I do. It’s not fair that men can have children for as long as they’re alive, but we have a ticking clock which stops in our forties. As much as I can empathize with your anger towards those who did this to you, can you really be upset looking at that face every day?” she said looking at Melissa who was now looking directly at them, her own little face full of sadness.  
Getting up from the couch, Scully went over and picked up her child and walked back to the couch placing the nearly one year old on her lap as she softly brushed her red hair out of her eyes. “She needs a haircut.”   
“It’s crazy how fast their hair grows, and ours.” She said running her fingers through her own, “Even worse when pregnant.”  
Scully’s back pocket began to vibrate, and she pulled her phone to an all caps panic text of “WHERE ARE YOU??????????”  
“I better get going.” She said standing up and securing Melissa on her hip, “Thanks again for watching her, I think I want to spend the rest of the day with my daughter.”  
Casey nodded, “You’re both welcomed any time.”  
“I appreciate that.”


	5. No Turning Back

Thursday, December 5th, 2019 – 10:15AM  
Sitting next to one another, Mulder and Scully sat in silence as they worked through the remaining names on her list. The rest of the table was just as quiet, with the occasional sounds of shock over what they had discovered all wondering how many qualified candidates they would have before leaving to return home the next morning.  
No one really spoke to one another as they left for lunch, and as Scully stabbed at her salad all she could think of was how many other women there were like her out there? By choice, nor not by choice.  
“You need to stop obsessing.” Mulder replied as he finished off his minestrone soup, “We can’t change what happened to you or me and anyone else’s decision is theirs and theirs only.”  
“I know.” She said stabbing a fresh cucumber with all the might of a farmer stabbing into a bale of hay, “I just keep running into these women perfectly content with what happened to them and I just can’t feel that way.”  
“No one says you have to, but at the same time I am very happy you’re still here with me and we have two beautiful children.”  
Forcing a smile, Scully nodded as she took another bite, “I know, I try to focus on that, but sometimes…”  
Mulder nodded as he placed his free hand on hers and held it there, “Let’s just focus on the future.”  
“I’ll try.”

Friday, December 6th, 2019 – 8:20PM  
As Mulder drove home, his mind thoroughly exhausted after the last couple of days seeing what people put on the internet without even taking a second thought of whether they should or not. Knowing that they were now living in a world without social media didn’t change how people thought and that a new site would eventually pop up, but for now he was happy to be on his way home to sleep in his own bed.  
Monday, December 9th, 2019 – 12:16PM  
On his now once a week trip to pick up the mail, Mulder left a little later than normal to ensure that Monday’s mail would be delivered as well, and as he pulled the mail from the large box his attention turned to three items. Two items marked Official Election Ballot and a larger envelope from The Colorado Medical Board. With the small metal door still open, Mulder found himself just staring at both items and the fact they arrived either on the same day or that he was picking them up at the same time. He was going to let his wife choose whatever path she wanted to take in her life, but there was a small part of him that wanted to toss the CMB envelope in the recycle bin.  
Eighties pop music was playing as Mulder returned home, to see his wife in the kitchen belting it out to Heart as Melissa sat in her chair bouncing her head back and forth to the music. She had been particularly happy since they arrived back from the Coalition meeting, and he liked seeing her so happy and energetic as she chopped carrots and tossed them on to Melissa’s plate. As he carried the mail bag into the kitchen, the three other envelopes he kept separate from the rest and waited until she stopped cutting and a knife wasn’t in her hand to turn off the radio under the cabinet.  
Jumping a bit, Scully turned to see him standing there with the envelopes in his hand, “What’s wrong?” she immediately asked.  
Nodding, Mulder placed the two ballots addressed to them on the kitchen island.  
“Oh..” Scully said picking it up and looking at the official envelope.  
“That’s not the only thing that came.” He said placing the CMB envelope on the island as well.  
“Oh..” she said in a much less enthusiastic tone as she placed the ballot back on the island and picked up the larger envelope and quickly ripped it open, pulling out her Colorado Medical License.  
“Wow…” She said reading the official document before placing it back on the island, her attention now focused on the other two envelopes. “You open your ballot first. This could have been just a colossal joke.”  
Nodding at the chance it was a joke, but knowing in his heart it was far from that, Mulder opened the envelope and pulled out the simple, yet official ballot. Along with the instructions and the postage paid returned envelope, “At least they paid for postage. However much that could possibly be.”  
“That’s not what you should be paying attention to.”  
“I know.” He said as he handed her the ballot, “It’s not a joke.”  
With shaking fingers, Scully took the document from her husband’s hands and looked at it. One legal sized ballot, with the correct formatting and a small circle next to her name. As her stomach began to turn she dropped the ballot and ran to the nearest bathroom as her breakfast made a reappearance.  
Not sure exactly how to take her reaction, Mulder leaned over to pick up his ballot, which had a number next to his name, and placed it on the island before picking up his daughter and walking into the small bathroom where his wife sat on her knees as she hovered over the commode.  
Balancing Melissa on his left hip, Mulder looked at his and his daughter’s reflection in the large mirror, her focus on her mother, as he waited for the toilet to flush.  
“Not the reaction I expected.” Mulder said as Scully closed the toilet lid and stayed on the floor; hugging her legs against her chest.  
“Me neither.” She replied taking a deep breath and looking up into the concerned eyes of her daughter, “It just…got real.”  
Mulder nodded as he adjusted the weight on his hip, “No turning back now.”  
Sighing heavily, Scully slowly nodded as she turned her focus to the white basin before her, “If I don’t win, everything goes back to normal…”  
“And if you do win?” Mulder said looking down at her.  
Shaking her head, she kept her focus on the bowl, “I don’t know.”  
By late afternoon their phones had been ringing and buzzing with calls from everyone they knew. Some shocked, some elated, others – like her older brother – generally concerned for her safety, but by the time they sat down for a nice quiet dinner, Scully came to the conclusion that whatever the outcome it wouldn’t change her. It wouldn’t affect what she had fought so long and hard for, and with a silent prayer for God to look over her family, she picked up her fork and stabbed it into a nice piece of spinach lasagna.


	6. Christmas Week - The Arrival

Sunday, December 22, 2019 – 12:45 PM  
Feeling the need to have her entire family with her for Christmas, her daughter’s first birthday, and the election results, Scully spent the week making up the guest rooms for William and Joy, Hannah and Heather, and the basement had roll away beds for Charlie and Bill. An air mattress was placed in Melissa’s room for Lucy and Matthew, as Melissa’s bed was relocated to her parents’ room the Saturday before everyone arrived, while Mulder focused on putting their seven-foot artificial tree in the living room. Mulder had invited his half-brother, but as Jeffrey had thankfully met a woman he would be spending Christmas with Sheryl and her thirteen-year-old daughter.  
Their last Christmas as husband and wife, Scully was two weeks late with the birth of their daughter, and this Christmas they would be celebrating Melissa’s first year of life, and he hoped, a new life plan for all of them.  
He didn’t trust his brother-in-laws to vote for their sister. Bill out of concern for all of them and Charlie purely out of spite, but there was a still a sliver of hope they…she…would win. Now, as they sat at baggage claim waiting for their family to arrive, Mulder wished he could press fast forward to sending them all back home.  
“Charlie’s missed his connection….” Scully said checking her phone.  
“Of course…the flight left Denver an hour ago.” Mulder replied annoyed that he had made sure, and paid a pretty penny in the process, that everyone would be on the same United flight that arrived in Durango at one PM. Even scheduled them ALL to stay overnight Saturday at the Westin hotel at DIA at three hundred bucks a room. They money wasn’t really the issue, as he wanted them all to arrive comfortably – even springing for first class – but the fact Charlie couldn’t even take the time to make sure he got on the plane at eleven am just made Mulder’s head throb.  
“It’s just how he is.” Scully said shoving her phone in her pocket as she watched her husband seethe, “I know you had this perfectly planned.”  
“Yes, it was perfect. I booked it months ago so they all had first class seating. Flights to Denver where they could sightsee, or just hang out at the airport hotel. That alone cost over six thousand dollars. The hotel was two, then the flights from Denver to Durango was another five thousand. All the idiot had to do was get up, check out of the hotel and get on the fucking plane.” Mulder said as his blood began to boil, “I need air.”  
“Mulder…”Scully said as she watched him storm off in anger.  
Yes, it was perfect. She told him not to be extravagant, no one needed to fly first class, but since they were coming all this way, he wanted to go all out. Matthew had texted her the night before that he had never flown first class and was a wee bit tipsy from the free alcohol on the flight. Hannah sent numerous thank you texts as well. As happy as she was to see her niece and nephew excited, the fact that her brother didn’t even have the sense to appreciate how they had gone all out for him and he was probably too drunk to get on the plane.  
They had both driven up, Scully with the car seat in her car, due to needing to fit eleven people. The plan was for Scully to drive her brothers, along with Melissa and Matthew and Lucy in her car, while Mulder drove Hannah, Heather, William and Joy. Thankfully the weather had been nice and as her phone buzzed again with a text from Charlie that he was rebooked on a flight that would get in at three thirty, but didn’t have first class or extra legroom, it took all her strength not to tell him where he could shove that extra legroom.  
As Melissa began to cry for juice, the arrived texts began to flow into her phone – addressed to she and Mulder – and she watched as he returned to her, shoving his phone into the back pocket of his jeans.  
“Did you get enough air?” She asked.  
Mulder nodded as he looked at Melissa pulling at her mother’s purse. “What does she need?”  
“Juice pouch.” Scully replied as she had been attempting to wrangle her child and her phone simultaneously.  
“I’ll get it.” He replied opening her bag and pulling out the Plum Organics Carrot and Apple Puree pouch and unscrewing the top before handing it to his eager daughter who held onto the pouch with two hands as she sucked away at the orange goodness.  
“Charlie got rebooked.” Scully said as Mulder fidgeted with the white top in his hands.  
“Good for him.” Mulder replied sighing deeply as his nostrils flared.  
“He will arrive in three hours.”  
The nostrils flared more angrily as Mulder tossed the cap into a trash can six feet in front of him and looked at his wife, “We already have lunch reservations at Ska Brewing. I’m not staying another two hours for him.”  
Nodding, as she completely understood where he was coming from, Scully looked down at the last text from her baby brother, “I’ll tell him to take a cab.”  
“And he’s paying for it.” Mulder replied as he heard a crowd of people approaching them.  
“Charlie missed the flight.” Bill said as they stood up to greet their guests.  
“I know.” Scully said as she texted Charlie that he needed to let her know when he got to the airport and that he would need to pay for his own cab.   
“Pretty sure we all know why.” Bill said as the baggage claim belt turned on.  
Hannah looked to her uncle and her aunt and crossed her arms, “I’m sorry he does this.”  
“It’s not your fault.” Scully said pulling Hannah against her chest and hugging her niece, hard, “That’s just how he is.”  
Hannah nodded as she parted from her aunt and turned her attention to her bright purple bag as it came towards her, “It’s just how he is.” She repeated as she pulled the bag from the carousel.   
“You know…” Heather said as she picked up her Hazy IPA, “A month from now, we could be looking at the first female president.” She said smiling across the table at Scully who closed her eyes and shook her head.  
“You don’t know that.” Scully said as her stomach began to do that thing again and she just wanted to comfort it with carbs.  
“Everyone at this table voted for you, right?” Heather said looking around with that look in her eyes that said you better not lie.  
“All except Missy.” William smiled as he watched his sister pick up her sippy cup, “Is it just me or did she get twice as big since September?”  
As not everyone at the table, Bill, Lucy and Matthew, and maybe even Hannah, were aware of Melissa’s special DNA, all Mulder and Scully could do was smile and shrug, “First year…”  
Realizing he said too much, William simply nodded and played with the straw in his Diet Coke.  
All minds on the same subject, Heather looked directly at the woman at the end of the table tapping her nails on the side of her glass, “Are you excited or nervous about it?” she asked Scully without having to go into greater detail regarding ‘it.’  
“A little bit of both maybe. I mean… there’s so much I want to do, that needs to be done to make this country a better place for everyone, I just don’t know if I’m the person who can do it or even if I’ll be able to accomplish anything.” She rambled as her mind raced, “It’s all I’ve thought about for weeks.” She said before turning to the little one between she and her husband, “Thankful for the distraction this week.”  
Melissa smiled up at her mother before she turned her attention back to the little plate of cut up carrots the nice server Amber provided Melissa when they arrived.  
“What also worries me, though…” Scully said as her eyes slowly looked over everyone at the table, “Is how this will affect all of you. All of our lives WILL change if this happens.” She said as her eyes landed on her son, “I don’t know if we’re prepared for that.”  
“Given all I’ve been through in the last year and a half.” William said looking directly at his mother from across the table, “I think I’ve realized there isn’t anything I can’t handle.”  
“I hope you’re right.” Scully sighed deeply as if a big weight had been lifted off her chest.  
“Everything is so different now.” Lucy piped in after Amber brought her another iced tea, “I never realized how addicted to social media I was until it was gone. Constantly taking selfies as if I had to validate myself to total strangers. I mean, I’m thankful for it. If not for social media I would have never met the sweetest man I’d ever known.” She said looking at the dark auburn haired man next to her, “And it was merely by chance. Since I’d admired you since I saw that movie so long ago and had this mental image of the real you being this incredible woman, every time I saw anyone on the internet with the name Scully I got excited. I know it makes me sound crazy, but I just had this weird premonition I was meant to know you. Somehow. Then I just happen to see a random comment about a random movie I don’t even remember right now, I see Matthew’s name, we start chatting and…” she sighed as he took her hand from under the table, “You just never know how or where you’re going to meet the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.”  
“I know…”Joy replied to Lucy, “Its like we were all fated to be here…”  
“Scully doesn’t believe in fate.” Mulder replied as his stomach growled and he snatched a carrot from his daughter’s plate.  
“I do now.” She said as let out another sigh of relief and looked around the table, “I do now.”

The sun was setting by the time they arrived back at the Pagosa Springs estate. Lucy, being the only one who had never visited the mountain home, finding herself fascinated by it’s size and beauty and even more so that it was Mulder who had the vision to architect this exquisiteness.  
“Why didn’t you become an architect?” Lucy asked him as she and Matthew followed Mulder up the circular staircase to Melissa’s room where the large air mattress had been set up.  
“I was meant for other things.” Mulder replied as he opened the door and turned on the light, “I also had a lot of free time when I was designing this house.” He smiled at the young woman as he took her bag and placed it on the top of Melissa’s cleared off dresser, “The drawers are empty, as we transferred Missy’s things to our room, and the closet is a walk in so there’s plenty of room for your things.”  
“Your baby needs a walk in closet?” Matthew asked as he opened to the door to said closet and shook his head at all the open space.  
“She will when she’s a teenager.” Mulder replied, “But in all honesty, all the rooms have walk in closets – the master bedroom being twice as big and Scully still prefers to shove most things in the armoire. In any event, I believe one day she’ll need it…maybe in her nineties.”  
“If we live that long.” Lucy muttered to herself.  
Mulder understood where she was coming from, but the two people in the room with him – aside from Bill – were the only two people in this house who didn’t know the truth; and he wanted to keep it that way.  
“God willing.” Mulder replied to the young woman, “Now, that’s Mittens.” He said directing them to the confused calico as she walked into the room possibly expecting to find Melissa, “She lives in here most of the time, but if you close the door I’m sure she’ll get the hint. Now, I’ll let you get yourselves settled.”  
Scully was coming up from the basement when Mulder was heading down the stairs, walking towards each other with that same look in their eyes.  
“This may have been a mistake.” Scully said as she handed her husband her phone.  
“Can’t do it.” Mulder read the text out loud, “I’m at the Comfort Inn.”  
“Can’t do what?” Mulder questioned as he handed the phone back to his wife, “Actually spend Christmas with his family?”  
“With me.” Hannah said from the top of the stairs, her upper teeth biting into her bottom lip as she looked down at her aunt and uncle.  
“But I thought you said he was ok with everything.” Scully said as she walked to the bottom of the stairs.  
“I’ve known my dad for over twenty years.” Hannah said as she crossed her arms and slowly walked down the staircase towards her caring aunt, “I know when he’s pretending to be ok.”  
“He was never really good at hiding it.” Scully sighed as she opened her arms for her niece who fell against her body like a ton of bricks, wrapping her arms around her and allowing the young woman to sob.  
“Don’t.” She said to her husband who had that look in his eyes, “He’s my brother. I’ll deal with it.” Scully said as she held Hannah against her.  
“You have a better idea than kicking the shit out of him?” Mulder replied given he’d wanted to do just that since he first met the man.  
“It never worked in the past.” She said as Hannah composed herself and wiped her face.  
“It’s stupid.” She said stepping back from her aunt, “We never had a great relationship when he thought I was straight.” Hannah rolled her eyes, “But now…all the horrible things he’s said, he’s said them about me.”  
“Maybe he realizes that now.” Scully replied.  
“Heather and I went into downtown Denver yesterday.” She said looking at the two older adults before her, “We held hands as we walked along the 16th Street Mall. Not one negative look, or comment.”  
“That’s good.” Scully said smiling, “Shows how much we’ve progressed.”  
“But my father…” Hannah said, “What if I want to get married? Have children? Will he just completely cut me out of his life?”  
“Let me handle your father.” Scully said taking her clasped hands in hers and squeezing them, “I’ve known him a lot longer than you have.”  
Hannah nodded and took a deep breath, “I hope you can convince him that it’s better to be gay than dead.”  
“I will.” She said before walking to the doorway before the basement stairs, “BILL!” she hollered down the stairs, “JUNE 1978!”  
Hannah and Mulder looked at one another in confusion, “1978? Mulder asked, “You were fourteen.”  
“And Bill was eighteen.” She replied as her older brother walked up the stairs with a confused look on his face.  
“What about it?” he asked his younger sister.  
“Charlie ran away and wanted to join the circus. We found his twelve-year-old self at the police station after trying to break into the Barnum and Bailey train car.”  
“Oh yeah.” Bill replied, “Mom was visiting dad when he was stationed in Germany that summer and we were in charge of the little monster.”  
“Well, mom and dad aren’t here…and he’s being a little monster again.”  
Bill nodded, “I’ll get my coat.”  
Scully texted her brother to go to the Ska Brewing Company, where they had lunch earlier, before she and Bill got in her car to drive the ninety-minutes back to Durango to deal with their little brother.  
“Are you working on your difficult negotiating skills?” Bill asked as she pulled onto highway 160.  
“Are you mocking me?” Scully replied as she kept her eyes on the road.  
“No.” He replied flatly, “Not at all. It was a stupid attempt at a joke.”  
“Fine.” Scully sighed, “And no. I just want to try to convince my brother, our brother, to stop being a bigoted jackass.”  
“Not sure that’s even possible. He’s always been a spoiled brat. You have to admit that’s mostly mom’s fault.”  
“She may have coddled him more than she coddled us, but that’s no excuse for being a bigot. Especially in regards to his own daughter.”  
“Who, might I add, we didn’t even know existed until six months ago.”  
“Which I will NEVER understand. You know how much mom would have loved to have a granddaughter.”  
“Well, now she has two.” Bill added, “Three if you want to count Lucy.”  
“So much has happened since she left us….” Scully said, her heart becoming overwhelmed with grief.  
“I know.” Bill replied looking out the passenger window at the trees in the darkness, “if you told me my almost twenty-two year old son would be marrying a woman he met on the internet I wouldn’t have believed you.”  
“I would have.” Scully replied, “The internet changed the world…and in some ways destroyed it, which is why we are at the place we are today.”  
“With a majority of the US population just gone with no true answer as to what happened?”  
Scully knew what happened, she also knew she couldn’t share that information, “Maybe it’s best not to know.” She replied without really lying.  
“Do you really think you’re qualified to be President?”  
There. He said it. Fifteen minutes into a ninety minute car ride he finally said what she knew had been bothering him since he received his ballot, “Feel good to get that off your chest?”  
Bill shrugged, “I’m just saying, aside from being class president…”  
“Four years in a row mind you.”  
“You have no political experience.”  
“Compared to the last guy?” She nearly yelled in anger and annoyance.  
“Well, that was a fluke.”  
“That was a lot of things.” She groaned. “And yes, dammit, I do believe I’m qualified to be president. Not only do I know where every country is located on a map, I’ve been to quite a few in my over twenty-years with the FBI. Not to mention I also have the temperament, another thing the last guy lacked.”  
“Well, it’s good to hear you say it.” Bill replied, “Because I voted for you.”  
Bill and Dana arrived at the restaurant a little before seven, finding their younger brother in a booth in the back sipping on a bottle of Bud.  
“You brought the big guns.” Charlie said as his older siblings sat in the booth across from him.  
“Better than bringing my husband who wanted to do more than talk.” Scully replied taking off her coat and staring the younger Scully down with her piercing blue eyes, “You need to get your head out of your ass.”  
“That’s asking a lot from a spoiled brat who has been getting his way since the day he was born.” Bill replied not feeling the need to remove his overcoat.  
“Really putting on the charm, Bill.” Charlie said finishing the bottle and leaning back in the booth looking directly at them, “Bill was the strong one, Dana was the smart one, Melissa was the caring one. What the hell was I?”  
“The spoiled one. Didn’t I already say that?” Bill replied as the server Anthony came over and Charlie ordered another beer and his siblings simply asked for water, “Or maybe now the drunk one.”  
“I only drink when I’m upset.” Charlie replied focusing his attention on the TV and the Chicago Bears versus the Kansas City Chiefs game, “My money is on Chicago.”  
Ignoring his attempt at changing the subject, Scully waited until the server arrived with their drinks before asking if they needed food menus and Charlie ordered a burger, well done, before she continued, “Why did you hide the fact you had a wife and daughter for over twenty years?” She asked deciding to just get it out. “You’ve never explained that.”  
Charlie shrugged after taking a sip from the fresh bottle of Bud, “Shelley got pregnant before we were married and I knew how mom would react to that.”  
“To the fact she was having a grandchild?”  
“You seem to forget I already went through this with mom. Remember Colette? The woman I met in France?”  
Bill and Dana nodded in unison, “Colette was a nice woman.” Scully replied.  
“Who was too nice for you.” Bill added.  
“Exactly. She got pregnant, had Stephen, and he was in our lives for what, four years before she took off with him?”  
“I remember he loved the movie Babe…” Scully replied at the memory.  
“He’s almost thirty and I have no idea where he is. He doesn’t even have my name. He was mom’s first grandchild and even though she didn’t outright blame me for Colette going back to France with him, she had a way of making me feel that guilt every damn day. So, when Matthew was born I was at least thankful he could take Stephen’s place. There was a part of me tempted to tell her about Hannah before she was born, but I just couldn’t go back there. Shelley was seven months pregnant with Hannah when he was baptized so there was no way we could attend. We didn’t get married until Hannah was three, when I was basically given an ultimatum. By then so much time had passed I knew there was no way I could tell any of you and felt it best to just stay out of your lives.”  
“It would have been nice to know I had a niece and you know mom wouldn’t have cared if she was born out of wedlock as she looked at it happening to me as a true blessing from God regardless of marital status.”  
“Because you can do no wrong.” Charlie replied looking at the two of them, “Both of you. You say I was spoiled, but once all of you were out of the house I then had to be the strong one, the smart one, the caring one. I wasn’t allowed to be me and don’t even get me started with dad.”  
“I’m not going to have to disparage our father’s name.” Bill replied angrily.  
“I won’t.” Charlie sighed, “But the house was just different when Dana went off to college. It was just me and them. I just wanted to be my own person, and not forced to take the place of one of you. As soon as I turned eighteen I took off. I figured coming back from France with Colette would at least make them think I had amounted to something, but after she left me and took my son I just felt it best to cut off all contact.”  
“Missing Bill’s wedding, mom’s funeral…my wedding.”   
“I didn’t even know about your wedding.” He said to his sister.   
“Well, we would have invited you if you made any effort to be in our lives.” Especially given they had been made to believe that they could give the wedding party an antidote to the virus that took out most of the population of the United States, “And it’s because of us that you’re sitting here today.”  
“I know.” He replied, “And my life has gone to hell since then.”  
“Only because of your own actions.” Scully replied, “No one told you to move to Arizona.”  
“Well, I didn’t want to be in Chicago anymore.” Charlie replied, “And I assumed I could find a good golf course bartending job in Phoenix, but most of the golf courses closed due to lack of guests. I’m, once again, working at Chili’s, but with a fourth of the traffic of O’Hare.”  
“So, because you’re miserable, that’s a good enough reason to push away your daughter. A child who wants you to be a part of her life.”  
“Well, clearly the fact she’s gay is proof I did something wrong in raising her.” Charlie said.  
Trying her best to control her anger, Scully gripped her hands together and looked at directly at her younger brother, “There. Is. Nothing. Wrong. With. Being. Gay.”  
“Not to mention how you raise a child has nothing to do with it. You’re born that way.” Bill added trying not to make it sound like a Lady Gaga song.  
“But she dated men! Went to dances with boys.”  
“Lots of women do while they’re figuring themselves out.” Scully added, “Hannah told me she dated a man for two years before they both found themselves attracted to the same woman.”  
“Heather?” Charlie asked.  
“This was before she met Heather.” Scully replied given Hannah had confided in her aunt on a nearly daily basis since they found out about one another, “She told me that she had always been attracted to women, but was afraid to be true to herself so she dated men. Heather was the first person who didn’t make her feel ashamed for who she was.”  
Charlie picked up his beer and quickly swallowed the rest of the bottle before sliding it away from him.  
“I can’t be ok with this.” He added, “It’s wrong. Mom would think it was wrong.”   
“Mom wouldn’t care. As much as you want to portray her as a holier than now monster, our mother was the most caring woman I have ever known and I feel true pain every damn day she’s not with us.” Scully said trying to control the tears that wanted to fall, “The fact you chose to not be in her life, even while on her death bed she was begging for you and ONLY you, is something you will have to live with for the rest of YOUR life. I can’t force you to be ok with who your daughter is, but you will be missing out on one of the most remarkable people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing just because of who she is and who she loves.” Putting her coat back on, Scully got out of the booth and looked at her older brother, “I’m going to use the ladies room, then I’m going home. With or without you.”   
Bill was waiting outside the ladies room when Scully finished allowing herself to cry for a minute, “Well?” Scully said to her brother.  
“He just kept saying he couldn’t do it.” Bill replied, “That he can’t accept her lifestyle.”  
Taking a deep breath, Scully nodded, “And I can’t accept his bigotry. Let’s go.”  
The kitchen light was on when Bill and Dana returned a home a quarter till nine, and Mulder was sitting at the island with a cup of tea when his wife walked in.  
“You can’t fix everyone.” Mulder said getting up and going to the cabinet to pull out a mug and filling it with the hot water from the tea kettle warming on the stove before tossing a chamomile tea bag in the water and handing it to her.  
“You knew it wouldn’t work.” She said looking into the mug as the water quickly darkened.  
“I know you can’t change the mind of a bigoted homophobe. Something you’re going to have to remember after you take that oath.”  
Shaking her head a bit, she looked back up her husband, “Then why did you even invite him?”  
“Because he’s your brother, and Hannah’s father and I figured it was worth a shot. It’s just money, but I’m not paying his way home now. He’s on his own.”  
“Not sure how I can explain it to Hannah.” Scully said taking a sip of the tea before placing the mug on the island.  
“You don’t have to. We just have to be there for her, make up for the time we didn’t even know she existed. We’re her family, and she knows that.”  
“I wonder if it’s even worth telling her about Stephen.”  
Mulder narrowed his eyes a bit before they widened, “Even I forgot about Stephen.”  
“Surprised you remembered him at all.”  
“I remember when everything happened and how broken up you were and you just wanted someone to watch Babe with.”  
Scully smiled a bit at the memory, “You were a saint for doing that.”  
Mulder shrugged, “I have my moments.” He smiled at the woman before him, “It may be worth it, one day, just let her have some time to deal with everything else.”  
Scully nodded, “Thank you.”  
“For what?”  
“Being you.”


	7. December 23, 2019 - In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning

December 23, 2019 – 2:15AM  
William found himself wide awake in his bed; the woman next to him sound asleep which was nice given she had stressed herself out over school so much she rarely slept at all. He didn’t want to wake her, but there was an overwhelming feeling of thirst in his throat which seemed to come out of nowhere and he feared if he didn’t get something to drink it may close up.   
Being as quiet and gentle as he could, William got out of the double bed without disturbing Joy, before quietly opening the door to his bedroom and closing it behind him. Turning to his right he was shocked to see his almost one year old sister standing against the gate pulling at it.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked her as she tried to open the gate.  
“Firsty.” She replied to her brother as he kneeled down beside her.  
Realizing that he probably should have expected that given how the feeling just came over him, he nodded and picked his baby sister into his arms before unlocking the gate and heading down the stairs.  
Placing her on the counter, her little legs dangling off the edge, William opened the cabinets until he found a sippy cup and trusting her to stay where he placed her, opened the fridge to pull out the Brita water pitcher filling the cup half way, before placing the lid back on the cup and handing it to the anxious girl. William held the pitcher in his hand as he watched her eagerly suck down the contents before grabbing another glass and filling it all the way.  
“I really wish I knew how you got into my head.” He said to Melissa as he placed the pitcher back in the refrigerator, “Because…you do it at the most random times.”  
Melissa smiled at her brother as they drank their water.  
“There she is.” A tired Scully said as she entered the kitchen in her burgundy robe, “I woke up and she wasn’t in her bed.”  
“She was thirsty.” William replied.  
“Did she come get you?” Scully asked.  
“Not exactly…” William said finishing his glass   
“Ah…” Scully said as she looked at both her children, “She’s not aware she’s communicating with you?”  
William nodded as placed the empty glass in the sink, “It’s nothing you need to be concerned about, really.”  
“That my children are telepathic. Nope. Not at all.” She said opening the refrigerator and eying the bottle of merlot before grabbing a bottle of mineral water, “But, when she is aware of her abilities am I now, then, allowed to be concerned?”  
“Well, she seems to only be able to communicate with me. So, she I wouldn’t worry too much.”  
Scully nodded as she removed the cap from the bubbly water and took a long sip before replacing the cap and placing it on the counter, “As if I need anything else to worry about.”  
“I take it things didn’t go well with Hannah’s father.”  
“No. They didn’t.” she said taking the empty sippy cup out of Melissa’s hands and placing it in the sink, “I guess I thought if I talked to him, we talked to him, we’d get through to Charlie…but…”  
“And now you’re thinking if I can’t convince one man to accept his own daughter for who she is how can I expect the world to accept me as a leader.”  
“Pretty much.”  
“Look, I may have only been alive through the terms of two presidents – three if you count the last one who was far from any kind of leader - and what I’ve seen in my eighteen-years on this planet is that no leader of any nation is fully accepted by every citizen. There will always be someone who won’t like you for whatever reason and there’s nothing you can do about that. All you can do, if you’re elected, is do your best to make this country something to be proud of. Where people are no longer ashamed to admit they’re Americans. Given what occurred only a few months ago, we need a leader who will assure us that we are safe and a leader that won’t put his or her needs above anyone else’s.; or spend every weekend playing golf at your own resort.”  
“I hate golf.” Scully quickly replied feeling a bit better about everything, “But I’m still afraid I’ll fail.”  
“And I can’t stop you from feeling that, but the woman I’ve gotten to know over the last year doesn’t fail. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know how.” William smiled down at his mother as she picked Melissa up off the counter.  
Scully began to walk towards the stairs until a heavy feeling of guilt came over her and she turned back to face her son, “William…” she said looking at the little one in her arms before looking back at him, “I’m sorry I gave you up.”  
“You’ve already apologized for that; several times.”  
“I know…but…” she said looking around the house, “I have a tendency to give up when things become too much. When I’m afraid I’ll fail. When I didn’t think I was strong enough to protect you, I sent you away. When I saw your father falling into a hole of depression, I moved out. When I lost patients, I changed professions. Time and time again, I gave up if things became too hard and maybe it’s because nothing felt hard until I lost you. School wasn’t difficult, I was at the top of my class in college and med school. Even at the academy I never had a bad day, but it wasn’t until you came into my life that I realized I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was. I have lived with that pain for nearly eighteen years. Of failing you.” She said as Melissa gripped her mother’s robe, “When I found out I was pregnant, at my…advanced age…I didn’t believe it and I didn’t know what to do. I went to church, I prayed, I lit candles…but I still was unsure because I didn’t want to fail again. I didn’t want to bring another child into this world whom I couldn’t protect.”  
“What changed your mind?” William asked in a softer tone as he looked in to the bright blue eyes of his sister.  
“Your father. We were trying very hard to reconcile, to regain a little of what we once had…”  
“Clearly.” He said smiling a bit at Melissa who smiled in return.  
“But I was still scared. Of losing him, losing her…losing everything and all it took was him walking into that church and simply saying that even though he didn’t believe in God, he believed in me. I just knew we’d be ok.” She said looking down at Melissa, “That God was giving me a second chance to prove how strong I really was.” She continued before turning her attention back to her son, “And maybe that’s why you came back to us as well.”  
“I told you why…” he said, “It wasn’t God speaking to me, mom.”  
“I know…” she said adjusting Melissa on her hip, “But just let me believe that, ok?”  
William smiled, “OK.”


	8. December 23, 2019 - Girls Day Out

December 23, 2019 – 10:15AM  
Girls Day Out.  
At the last minute, Scully decided she needed a massage, and a facial and given the Hot Springs were less than an hour away she decided to treat herself and her female guests to a girls day, with the exception of Melissa who would stay with her father, uncle, brother and cousin and enjoy video games and pizza. After mimosas and pancakes, with lots of whipped cream, the fivesome made their way to the hot springs for some time in the pools before their massages and facials.  
“You have NO idea how much I needed this.” Joy said as they sat in their swimsuits in the ninety-nine degree Chic Tub which comfortably sat them without anyone else bothering to join in. “The last three months have been HELL!”  
“Which is why, come Saturday, you’re flying back with us to enjoy some fun in LA.” Heather said to the stressed out college student.  
“Not too much fun…” Scully replied not wanting to be overbearing, but given the circumstances, she feared any negative publicity.  
“We’ll take care of her.” Heather replied as she adjusted the straps on her red bikini top just as an older couple walked by.  
“I think that woman gave you the death stare.” Lucy replied watching how the older woman led the older man away from them.  
“I’m used to it.” Heather sighed, “Can’t help what I look like.”  
Lucy nodded, “Thank you for doing this, Dana. I don’t really have many girl friends at home. It’s made it kind of hard when it comes to planning a wedding.”  
“Are you planning a big one?” Hannah asked.  
“Oh heaven’s no. Matthew recently got a job with as a game designer with a company in Fremont, and we moved into a nice one bedroom apartment back in October. I got accepted into Berkeley to work on my PHD in Microbiology, but with my degree I was at least able to get a job at a lab near the university so we can save money before I drown myself in student loans.” Lucy sighed before she forced a smile, “But seriously, you have no idea how happy I am to be a Scully!” she squealed a little too loudly as two women in a near by pool stared at the group.  
“The champagne and sugar went right to her head.” Heather noted as the women in the next pool were whispering to one another while pointing at Dana, “Uh, Dana, you have fans…”  
“What?” Scully asked turning in the direction Heather was nodding to see the women nodding as they looked at her. “I don’t know them.”  
“You seem to have forgotten your name was on a ballot…” Hannah added, “Did you think no one would Google to see what you looked like?”  
“But there was only that one site asking if I was hot or not.”  
“I may have hit hot about twenty times…”Lucy said softly.  
“Stop being stalkerish, Lucy.” Heather said, “You’re marrying her nephew which is already a bit kooky given the circumstances.”  
“I’m not a stalker. I told you meeting Matthew was random and we just clicked.” Lucy lied given she was on a quest to find anyone named Scully, but didn’t think she would connect with Matthew the way she did, “We chatted for over a week before we met and he invited me to their wedding. It’s not my fault he was going to the same college as me and I didn’t know it till my senior year!” she replied defensively.  
“Well, it’s still weird.” Heather added as the women got out of the pool and began to approach, “And we have contact.”  
“Excuse me…” One of the women who looked to be in her late sixties with silver hair pulled back into a pony tail said as the other woman who seemed slightly younger, but also had her silver hair piled in a bun on top of her head, stood next to her, “Are you Dana Scully?” she said directly to Dana who honestly wasn’t sure how to reply.  
“Yes, I am.” Scully said taking a deep breath.  
“Told you.” The one who had asked the question said to her friend, “I told you it was an old photo.”  
Knowing exactly what they were referring to, Scully simply nodded, “And how can I help you ladies?” she asked trying to sound as polite and, presidential, as possible, but there was also a part of her that feared being easily recognized.  
“Oh we just wanted to say hi.” The first woman continued, “We really couldn’t find much information on you, but given the pamphlet included with the ballot you seem like a highly educated woman who can do a lot of good for this country.”  
“Thank you.” Scully replied as she was still unsure how to accurately respond.  
“Did you vote for her?” Heather straight out asked.  
“Of course.” The second woman replied, “The other two candidates were men.”  
“Good.” Heather nodded, “Down with the patriarchy!” She said with her fist in the air as the women slowly nodded in return.  
“Now you’re the embarrassing one.” Lucy said to Heather, receiving a piercing blue stare down in return.  
“It was nice to meet the two of you, what were your names again?” Scully asked given the women never really introduced themselves.  
“Helen and Grace.”  
Grace.  
The smile which was true for a good five seconds faded before she turned on the charm with a fake one in it’s place, “It was nice to meet you, Helen and…Grace.”  
The women smiled in return as they walked back to their pool and the current group of women became quiet.  
“Of all the names in all the hot springs she had to walk into ours.” Heather said splashing the water in anger.  
“It’s a common name.” Hannah added.  
“Too common.” Joy replied taking a deep breath.  
Lucy looked at the other four women confused, being the only one unaware of the mastermind behind the event, “Who is Grace?”  
“It’s better you don’t know.” Scully replied looking up at the blue sky and bright sun.  
By the time the group of women received their facials and massages, they all climbed back into Scully’s car for the short drive home by seven, picking up Chinese food on the way home.  
“My kingdom for a peapod!” Mulder exclaimed as he greeted the women while they carried the bags into the kitchen.  
The pool made her feel relaxed, but the facial and massage made her feel more than relaxed and the car ride home was a bit too bumpy for her to take so by the time she got home she feared she’d explode; seeing her husband’s face as he snagged a snap pea from his dinner just made her blood pressure rise.  
“Mulder, I need a moment alone with you.”  
“What’d I do?” He immediately asked, with his mouth full. “Melissa took her nap at one just like you instructed.”  
“Where is she now?”  
“William is in the basement with her and The Little Genius kit I didn’t want to wait till Christmas to open.”  
“Good.” She replied looking at the guests, “Get started without us.”  
Heather snorted a bit as she opened her bowl of egg drop soup.   
“What’s so funny?” Lucy asked after Mulder and Scully left the room.  
“Oh, if I told you, your head would explode.” She replied taking a spoon out of the drawer and walking into the dining room.  
Trying to run through what he could have possibly done wrong while she was gone, Mulder raddled his brain as his wife led him into the bedroom and slammed the door behind them.  
“Have I mentioned you look good, and smell good?” he said just grasping for anything to make her happy.  
“Thanks.” Scully replied as she pulled off the black cashmere sweater, tossing it on the floor next to the bed where her daughter had been sleeping.  
“I’m sensing that you’re not angry with me…” Mulder asked as she began to unzip her jeans, pulling them and her black panties down her thighs and kicking them off as she got closer to him and the king size bed.  
“Why would I be angry with you?” she said placing her hands on his chest and pushing him onto the bed before climbing onto the bed and straddling him.  
“I don’t know…I never know.” He said as she began to unzip his jeans, “But let’s just say I’m relieved.”  
“I need you to be more than that.” She replied reaching under the hard denim and waiting for something else to harden.  
Swallowing hard, Mulder focused on the black lace bra and his wife’s fingers and closed his eyes as he felt his erection grow. Given Melissa would be in their room until Saturday, Mulder had given up on any alone time with his wife, but as he opened his eyes, watching her guide him inside of her he thought he would explode in under a minute, but instead he felt her tighten around him and her body shake before his own climax even had a chance to start. Her eyes closed, her fingers digging into his shoulders, she opened her eyes and looked directly at him, licking her lips she began to move, her gaze on him and only him, she brought her lips to his as her pace began to quicken, sliding his cock in and out of her as her tongue dove between his lips, his hands gripping her ass as she slowed down, then sped up again needing to feel him climax inside of her before she could a second time. Waiting for that familiar groan and jerk as his nails dug into her flesh, she felt her body pulsate again before collapsing on top of him. Once she felt she could move, Scully brushed the hair out of her face and looked down at shocked and sweaty man beneath her.  
“I’m sorry I just attacked you like that.” She said sitting up before rolling onto her back next to him, “I’m not sure what came over me.”  
“No need to be sorry.” Mulder said sitting up and tucking himself back into his jeans, “Here I thought we’d have to sneak out to the car during the week.”  
Scully smiled as she sat up as well, “That may happen.”  
“I’ll be sure the gear shift is in drive.” He said standing up and picking up her sweater, tossing it to her, “Now, I’m starving.”  
“I’ll be down in a minute.” She replied waiting for him to leave before lying back down, holding her sweater and honestly wondering what the hell came over her.


	9. Christmas Eve

December 24, 2019 – 1:15 PM  
Christmas Eve.  
Scully sat on the couch still wearing her pajamas, terrified over the phone call she would be receiving at any minute. Mulder was cleaning the kitchen after a long breakfast of waffles and strawberries while everyone else sat at the dining room table working on a puzzle of classic art.  
“I have Mona Lisa’s eye.” Hannah said as she walked around the table looking for the rest of the Da Vinci masterpiece.  
“Well, I have Van Gough’s bandaged ear.” William replied.  
“I think he’s over here.” Bill said pointing to the open space that was part of Vincent Van Gough’s self-portrait.  
Getting up from the couch, Scully walked into the kitchen and leaned against the wall watching as Mulder filled the dishwasher.  
“Need help?” she asked.  
“No.” he replied closing the door and pressing the on button, “But you look like you need a long bath.”  
“Do I look that disgusting?”  
“No, but you look like a woman who hasn’t slept, and given I’m preparing a nice tofurkey dinner tonight I expect you to look a little bit better than a dishrag.”  
“You flatter me dear sir.” Scully replied as she ran her left fingers down the grey speckled wallpaper, “Our lives may change today.”  
“They may change every day.” He said opening the pantry and pulling out a ten pound bag of organic russet potatoes, “But I think it would be best if you spend the day enjoying time with your family instead of worrying about a phone call.” Mulder continued as he tossed the canvas bag onto the kitchen island before locking eyes with her, “Either way, we’ll be ok.”  
Nodding, Scully turned to her right where the family they had spent so much money to bring out here were working on a puzzle without her, “I always did like puzzles.”  
“Then get yourself cleaned up and pull up a chair.” Mulder said before kissing her on the forehead, “I have potatoes to peal.”  
Waiting a moment to watch him pull a knife out of the drawer and cut open the bag before tossing a handful of potatoes into the colander, Scully turned around and headed up the stairs to take a much needed bath.  
Out of all the things she was grateful for in this life, her family, her health, Scully found the Triteia luxury bathtub with pulsating jets to be the object she was most thankful for. Nestled snuggly in the corner of her already spacious master bath, surrounded by bay windows so she could watch the snow fall or the sun set. Shelves covered with bath salts, candles and lilac plants so she could spend hours relaxing and never have to get out- his was as close to heaven as she ever wanted to get.  
Sadly, even as the lavender and eucalyptus permeated her senses, the anxiety over the phone call which would soon come made it difficult to fully relax. As much as she wanted to be the first female president of the United States, she also wanted her life to just go back to normal. Where she had her family safely under one roof, nestled in the mountains of Colorado and far, far away from the press and anyone who would want to hurt them.  
And then there was the tub.  
Given it was Christmas Eve and the eve of her daughter’s first birthday, after a good hour in the tub she would marry if it wasn’t frowned upon, Scully got out of her bath salt infused paradise and looked at herself in the mirror directly across from the tub. The lack of sleep had done a number on her eyes, they looked tired and droopy – or like a dishrag. She rarely wore makeup unless she was leaving the house, but given the circumstances of the reflection before her, she grabbed a container of Kiel’s and slathered on the midnight recovery eye serum, followed by the wrinkle cream and finished it up with a dab or two of youth dose eye treatment. The price of being a woman was already insane, but the maintenance was a nightmare.  
By the time she completed covering up any signs of tiredness or aging, it was nearly four and she was surprised no one, especially Mulder, had come up to check on her. Her hair sleek and straightened, she went to the armoire to find the perfect sweater for the evening. Settling on a jade green cashmere she received for Christmas the year before when she was too pregnant to wear it, but now fit perfectly over her slender frame. Black trousers and matching heels completed the look she didn’t really understand she was going for, but sometimes it was nice to dress up for yourself.  
The smell of dinner cooking wafted into the bedroom as she opened the door, and closing it behind her she made her way down the stairs where the puzzle had been completed and now her family was playing Trivial Pursuit while drinking red wine.  
“Wow…” Heather looked up from the table to see Scully as she finished walking down the stairs, “I really feel underdressed…” she said given her hair was in a messy bun, along with pink yoga pants and an oversized pink hoodie with a drawing of a passed out cat and the words Not Today.  
The rest of the table was equally understated, as hoodies and jeans or yoga pants seemed to the look of the evening.   
“At least you’re not wearing a drunk Santa sweatshirt!” Joy replied embarrassed as she tossed the card in her hand on the table, “I’m changing!” she said running past the lady of the house, and up the stairs.  
“Same.” Heather said before finishing her wine and following Joy’s lead as the rest of the women followed suit.   
William, Matthew and Bill remained, clearly not understanding why the women left the table in such a hurry.  
“You look really beautiful, mom.” William said.  
Scully smiled as she looked at her disheveled son, “Is that ranch on Santa’s hat?” she said noticing a bit of white on the red design.  
“Fine.” William said getting up, “I’ll change too.”  
“I guess that’s our cue.” Bill said as he put down his cards as well and he made his way to the basement door while Matthew walked up the stairs.  
Wearing a black apron with the words Kiss the Cook in white, Mulder was putting rolls into the oven when Scully walked in.   
Melissa was in her highchair eating bits of apple as she noticed her mother and instantly squealed, “Mama!”  
Scully smiled at the little one, who clearly needed a bath as well, as she waited for the man to turn away from the oven for just a second.  
“Oh good, you’re awake.” He said assuming she had taken a much needed nap and didn’t want to disturb her, but as his eyes met hers, the grey and black oven mitts fell from his hands to the floor, “Wow.” He said, the one word syllable coming out as two as he gazed at the woman before him, “That must have been some nap.”  
Scully shrugged as she ran her fingers through her daughter’s soft, but a bit oily, hair, “Just felt like dolling myself up for once.”  
“And you’re finally wearing that sweater.” He said given he purchased it from Bottega Veneta in Italy the year before and she hadn’t yet worn it. “Fits like a glove.” He added, trying not to be distracted by the woman before him.  
“Everyone else decided to get dressed up for dinner as well.” She said trying to give the cook a subtle hint, “Is there anything I can do while you do the same?”  
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” he asked as he looked down at the ripped jeans and forty-year old Oxford sweatshirt underneath the apron, “I guess I see your point.” He said untying it from behind and tossing the apron on the floor, before getting another unapproving look from his wife and picking it up to hang in the pantry.  
“While you’re at it.” She said picking up the apple dumpling girl, while trying not to get Melissa’s sticky fingers on her sweater, “Take this one with you.”  
“Will do.” He said taking Melissa from her mother and having no issue with the apple fingers touching the old sweatshirt, “You really do look incredible.”  
“Thank you.” Scully smiled, “So, anything I need to watch out for?”  
“Take the rolls out in twenty minutes. Aside from that, dinner should be ready by five.” He said wanting like hell to kiss her, but also not wanting to mess up the immaculate makeup job.  
“On it.” She replied with a smile as she watched him carry Melissa up the stairs and leaving her alone with an already opened bottle of Cabernet, “To calm the nerves.” She said taking a wine glass out of the cabinet over the sink and filling the glass to the rim.  
December 24, 2019 – 5:25PM  
By five, the cook who had been properly kissed, had completed the evening’s meal as the now nicely showered and dressed guests helped set the dining room table which had been extended to properly seat ten people – high chair included – while Melissa sat in said high chair wearing a red velvet dress, with white tights and red flats which were almost too small for her growing feet, along with her almost shoulder length auburn hair pushed back by a black and red bowed head band. Wearing his father’s grey dress pants, and a blue button down shirt with a black tie, William carried out the mashed potatoes with REAL butter, as Joy - wearing a nice red and black sleeveless dress and black sweater, as she did pack a couple of nice outfits - followed with the rolls as Mulder in black trousers, a grey dress shirt and red and black tie carried the tofurkey out to the table.  
“Why do Brussel sprouts smell like feet?” Heather – now wearing a simple black dress, and her hair pulled back in a professional ponytail - asked as she placed the casserole dish of grilled vegetables on the table.   
“Because they’re good for you.” Lucy, wearing black pants and a simple white sweater replied, “The best food always smells bad.”  
“I take this is a vegan dinner?” Bill asked as he had only packed casual clothing, he went with a dark blue sweater and jeans, but at least he was clean.  
“Vegetarian.” Mulder replied, “There’s dairy.”  
“At least that’s something.” Bill replied sitting down at the end of the table next to his son and Lucy as Hannah and Matthew - also nicely dressed – brought out the gravy and sweet potatoes.  
“Do I dare ask what’s for dessert?” Bill continued.  
“Brownies.” Mulder replied as he sat at the end of the table, next to Melissa at the head of the table in her highchair, as Scully opened a new bottle of Cabernet and walked around the table filling everyone’s glasses half way – including the two not old enough to drink.  
“He found a recipe that is to die for.” Scully said as she filled her brother’s wine glass, “I swear, better than mom’s.”  
“That’s impossible.”  
“Seriously, orgasm in your mouth good.” Scully said as she picked up Hannah’s wine glass and realized what she said, “Well..” She laughed before filling what was left of the bottle in Hannah’s glass before placing it next to her plate, “It’s true!” she laughed a little harder before walking into the kitchen for another bottle.  
“She’s drunk.” Bill replied sighed.  
“She’s tipsy.” Mulder countered, as he cut up some tofurky onto Melissa’s plate “She’s got a lot on her mind.”  
Returning with a newly opened bottle, Scully finished filling the remaining glasses before placing the half empty bottle in the middle of the table and sitting down across from her husband. Picking up her own glass of wine -which was her third of the night – she looked around the table nodding for everyone to do the same, “I just want to thank you all for being here. A year ago today, our lives were very different. This one..” she said looking at the smiling cherub to her right, “Was two weeks late, and even though Bill and Matthew were with us…” she said as tears began to form behind her eyes, “I would have given anything to have my son by my side.” She said as William nodded in agreement, “But now, you are. I have both my children, my husband, my brother and nephew and now a niece I didn’t even know existed, but I’m so very grateful she came into our lives. Lucy, I know you see me as this perfect woman you aspire to be, but I’m not perfect. I have flaws just like everyone else, but the fact I inspired another woman to love science as much as I do fills me with so much Joy. Speaking of Joy…” she said turning to the young woman next to her son, “You are one of the sweetest young women I have ever known. I know your life hasn’t been easy, but I hope that we, and my son, have given you reasons to be grateful.”  
Joy nodded as William took her hand and squeezed it gently.  
“Heather…” she said to the other woman sitting next to her son, “I know you struggle to find your place in this world; your true identity, but they say that you don’t always get to choose your family. Well, you do and I’m sure we’re all very thankful you and Hannah found one another and in doing so you are now part of our family.”  
Mulder watched as tears began to fall down his wife’s face, and finding himself unsure what to do or say as she turned to him, blinking rapidly as her front teeth dug into her lower lip, “Mulder…” she said as her lips quivered a bit, “Fox…” she smiled a bit after taking a deep breath to compose herself, “You once said you always wondered how this would end.” She said as she wiped away the tears with her right hand, thankful for waterproof mascara and eyeliner, “But, you and me…we won’t. If I’ve learned anything in the last twenty-seven years it’s that some people come into your life, and they never leave. You can try to get away, you can move to another state, but they’re a part of you. I never believed in fate, or soulmates, until I met you; and all I can say is, if anything, we’re proof that some love stories never end.”  
Mulder nodded as he clinked his glass on hers, “I’ve always believed that.”  
“And I’m sorry I made you wait eight years.”  
Mulder smiled, a bit uncomfortable given the others at the table, but all he could do was nod, “It was worth it.”  
Throughout dinner, trying not to obsessively check her watch, Scully started to wonder if the call would ever come. Or maybe only the winner would be contacted. By the time dinner was over, and three glasses of wine were making her feel numb in all the right places she started to forget about the call and just appreciate having her family with her for the holiday.  
“I have an idea.” She said as Mulder finished loading the dishwasher and the others filled the refrigerator with leftovers, “I know how I made you all get dressed up for dinner, and I appreciate it. But dinner is over. How about we get in our pajamas, open a gallon of ice cream and crack open that Trivial Pursuit game while eating dessert?”  
“Sounds like a plan to me!” Heather said as she pulled at her dress, “This bra is killing me.”  
“Every woman knows that pain!” Scully said as she pulled a gallon of Dryers Vanilla Ice Cream out of the freezer and placed it on the counter just as her cell phone left on the coffee table went off.  
The room grew quiet as she stood in fear of answering it.  
“You want me-“ Mulder asked as he walked into the living room and picked up the cell phone.  
“No…” Scully said as she took it from him with trembling fingers, “I have to do this.”  
Now, completely sober, she pressed the green button and simply said. “Hello?”  
The others, walked into the living room and you could hear a pin drop it was so quiet as Scully nodded to what the person on the other end of the phone was saying.  
“No, it’s fine. I understand.” She said nodding again, “You have a good night as well and Merry Christmas.”  
The other line disconnected as Scully placed the phone back on the coffee table before turning to see nine sets of eyes looking right at her. William took Joy’s hand as they watched Scully struggle for the right words to say. Mulder, holding Melissa in his arms pleaded mentally with his wife to just say it.  
“Well?” he finally asked after far too much time had passed.  
Scully shook her head, “I didn’t win.” She said taking a deep breath as collective moan could be heard throughout the room.  
“Honey…” Mulder said and given he rarely – if ever- addressed her as honey, he wasn’t surprised by the look she gave him.  
“I need to be alone.” She said walking past everyone, including her very confused son and Joy as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom.  
“Well, that’s that.” Mulder said pulling the headband off Melissa’s head and tossing it on the couch. “It’s probably best if we call it a night. Santa is coming and all. We can save the brownies for tomorrow.”  
Nodding collectively the others went up the stairs or down to the basement as Mulder rubbed noses with his daughter in an attempt to distract himself from what had just occurred.  
“Dad…” William said as he and Joy remained.  
“I said, Santa’s coming.” He said looking at the decorated tree, “He has a lot of wrapping to do.”  
Joy looked at William, “Just tell him.”  
“Tell me what?” Mulder said turning to the only two people left in the room.  
Unclear as to why, William felt it was best to tell his father, “She lied.”  
“What?” Mulder asked adjusting Melissa in his arms, “Who lied?”  
“Mom.” William replied.  
Joy nodded, “She won.”  
His eyes widening a bit, Mulder handed Melissa off to her brother before he ran up the stairs two at a time and barged into the bedroom to see his wife with her back to him, standing before the window looking out at the moon.  
“Scully…”  
“Waning crescent…” she said to the sky, “The last stage before a new moon.” She took a deep breath before turning to him, “A new life…”  
“Why did you lie?”  
Too in shock to even cry, Scully shook her head, “I didn’t know what to say.” She said as she sat on the edge of the bed, “Hearing Beth say the words…I…just couldn’t believe her. It doesn’t feel real.”  
Mulder sat down next to his wife on the end of the bed, “We have to tell them.”  
“I know. I know.” She said, “And I will, but I can’t right now. I just want to have a normal Christmas. Our last normal Christmas where we can celebrate the birth of our daughter and Christ without worrying about what happens next.”  
“But you’re happy, right?” Mulder asked, brushing a strand of auburn hair behind her left ear.  
“Are you?” she asked him.  
“Very much so.” Mulder replied before gently kissing her on her quivering lips and pulling back, “Now the rest of the world will know how incredible you are.”


	10. Christmas Day

December 25, 2019 – 5:25 AM  
Unable to sleep soundly, as the news from the night before was too overwhelming and the weight now on her shoulders, Scully picked her daughter up out of her bed and carried her downstairs. A little yawn came out of Melissa’s mouth as Scully settled into the window seat behind the staircase and looked out at the dark sky, “A year ago today you awakened me.” She said as she held her daughter in her arms, rocking her softly, “So much has happened in the last year, but you were the start of it all.”  
Melissa rubbed her eyes as the sound of someone else coming down the stairs interrupted their quiet time. Scully stayed quiet as she watched the grey pajama covered legs and barefoot feet of her husband walk down the stairs carrying piles of gifts.  
“I knew you were Santa.” She whispered loudly, causing him to jump as he placed the presents under the tree.  
“Thanks for the near heart attack.” He said as she walked over, Melissa’s tired head resting on her shoulder.  
“Sorry.” Scully said sitting on the couch and lying Melissa down on her side, placing a pillow near the edge to prevent her from rolling over, “You do realize, with the exception of the one year old, no one in this house believe in Santa.”  
“I do.” Mulder replied as he turned on the twinkling lights on the tree.  
“I bet you believe in the Easter Bunny and The Tooth Fairy too.”  
“And Leprechauns and…shocker…aliens.” Mulder smiled at his wife as he pulled a small box off the top of the pile and presented it to her, “I saw in the store window on Connecticut avenue we in DC late last year, for reasons I’d rather not remember, but I knew you had to have them. I wanted to give them to you for your birthday, but honestly forgot I had them until I was cleaning out a drawer I had hid them in. Now, I think is the perfect time for you to have them.”  
Scully took the small box wrapped in silver and blue paper with a small white bow, and removed the bow and the wrapping before opening the box to reveal a set of Diamond Two Row Drop Earrings in 14K White Gold, “Mulder…” she said looking up at him, “They’re beautiful.”  
“And they cost more than my first car.” He smiled before leaning down to look her in the eyes, “I know you’re scared, but I’m not. I know you’ve got this.”  
Nodding, Scully looked down at the exquisite diamonds shining back at her, “It’s not going to be easy?”  
“When has anything we set our minds on been easy? But I know when you set your mind to it, there isn’t anything you can’t do and I’m more than happy to tag along for the ride.”  
Scully nodded, “I appreciate your enthusiasm. Seriously.”  
“I admit, I’m incredibly excited about going back to the town that looked at me as a joke and say HEY LOOK WHO MARRIED ME! WHOSE THE JOKE NOW!”  
The levity was a much needed thing as Scully closed the box and placed it next to her sleeping daughter before softly kissing her husband, “Didn’t you say something about a new crepe recipe you wanted to try?”  
“Is Madame President Elect hungry?”  
“Famished!”  
“Your wish is my command.”  
December 25, 2019 – 8:55AM  
After finishing off a plate of peach crepes, Scully found herself sound asleep on the couch, it was until she heard the sound of others coming down the stairs that she awakened, turning over to see a sad crowd of adults mumbling as they made their way into the dining area where Mulder was serving even more of his perfected crepe recipe.  
“Why the long faces?” Scully yawned as she got up from the couch and walked over to the dining area, “IT’S CHRISTMAS!” she exclaimed before sitting down at the head of the table.  
Mulder walked out of the kitchen with a skillet of crepes as he began to serve them to their guests.  
“You’re way too happy, Aunt Dana.” Hannah said as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.  
“Yeah. We were so excited for someone, YOU, to FINALLY bust through that glass ceiling and…” Heather waved her hands in disgust, “Men.”   
“You’re welcome, Heather.” Mulder said as he placed a crepe on her plate.  
“I don’t mean ALL men…just..fuck it. I’m pissed.”  
“Me too.” Lucy replied, “I looked into those guys and they were nothing compared to you. That Alex Jackson was pretty hot; apparently he was a lawyer for the ACLU or something so I guess he’s a good guy…I dunno…but still.”  
“Alex is hot?” Scully asked a bit intrigued, “How hot?”  
Lucy shrugged, “ I dunno, he’s in his late thirties, dark hair, green eyes..”  
“You sure remember.” Matthew replied in annoyed tone.  
“You have no room to talk.” Lucy replied, “Besides, we were supposed to vote for the best person and that meant looking into every candidate.”  
“Woah…” Heather said looking at her phone after Googling, “You’re right.”  
“Hey…”Hannah said before Heather handed the phone to her, “Ugh...yeah he looks like the guy who was Eric at Disney.”  
“The one you dated…” Heather asked.  
Hannah nodded as she cut into her crepe, “Until he caught me with the Frog Princess…and then I caught her with him and…” she sighed. “So messy.”  
“Did they tell you who won?” Heather asked as Hannah passed Heather’s phone to get a good look at Alex.  
“Yeah, do we have to hate him?” Lucy asked, “Because we will. I’ll make a shirt that says I voted for the highly qualified WOMAN!”  
“I’d buy it.” Matthew replied.  
“Me too.” Hannah and Heather replied in unison.  
Scully found herself starring far too long at the man in the pinstriped suit with the piercing green eyes before she handed the phone back to Heather and looked at her son and you didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what he was telling her.  
Mulder stood behind Melissa in her high chair holding the empty skillet, “Tell them.”  
“Fine.” Scully said taking the deepest breath she could, “I didn’t want it to affect our Christmas, but clearly it already has…” she said looking at her son, daughter and husband one last time, “I lied.”  
“You lied?” Lucy asked confused, “About what.”  
Mulder nodded, “I will if you won’t.”  
“I won.” She didn’t realize how incredible it would feel to actually say those words until she said them out loud, in front of all the people she cared about.  
After a moment of silence, Lucy screamed and began sobbing.  
“Told you she was a weird one.” Heather said before turning to Scully, “You won?”  
Scully nodded as she now allowed herself to be happy, “Yes. I won. I received eighty-five percent of the vote!”  
“Damn.” Mulder replied given that was the first time she shared that news.  
“And Alex..” she said pointing to the phone, “Received twelve percent which makes him my VP!”  
“Now I need to see this guy.” Mulder said placing the skillet on the table and walking over to pick up Heather’s phone to see the man who would be serving under his wife. His chiseled Greek god features, his practically glowing green eyes. Even his lips were perfect. Turning off the phone he looked at his wife, “Dana, a moment.”  
“Oh come on.” She said, “Three hours ago you were thrilled!”  
“That was before I knew Rock Hudson Junior would be serving UNDER you.”  
“Well, if he IS Rock Hudson Junior you have nothing to worry about!”  
“Whose Rock Hudson?” William asked.  
“REALLY hot actor from the fifties.” Heather said as she finally cut into her crepe, “And gay.”  
“Ah..” William said as he looked at his father, “Don’t you remember all that stuff mom said last night? About how your love story will never end?”  
“She was drunk.” Mulder replied.  
“No she wasn’t.” William replied, “You know she meant every word.”  
“I did, Mulder.” She replied looking up at him, “Nothing will change that.”  
Realizing he was over reacting for no reason, Mulder nodded, “I need to get the peaches.” He said before walking back into the kitchen.  
Placing her fingers on her temples as she waited for the migraine, Scully heard her the landline phone which never rang go off.  
“You have a landline?” Hannah said as Scully walked over to the wall to pick up the cordless phone.  
“For the alarm company.” Mulder said as he brought out a couple bowls of cut up peaches and placed them on the table.  
“Yes…yes…tomorrow would be fine. Thank you.” Scully said before turning off the ringer and placing it back on the wall.  
“Who was that?” Mulder asked fearing the worst.  
“The Washington Post.” She said sitting down and rubbing her temples, “Why do you think I turned it off.”  
“And so it begins…” Mulder replied, “Did you tell them I’m still boycotting based on that hit piece about me from ninety-eight?”  
“Pretty sure that reporter has long retired.” Scully said with her eyes still closed.  
“Yeah, well…still.” He replied walking back into the kitchen.  
Hannah, watching as Scully rubbed her temples as the other sat in shock or, like Lucy, crying uncontrollably, placed her hands on Scully’s arm and gently squeezed them, “You deserve this.” She said looking back at the rest of the table where everyone, including Bill, nodded.   
Scully nodded a bit, her eyes remaining closed, as Hannah got up, and stood behind her chair before wrapping her arms around her aunt. The others slowly got up and did the same, and by the time Mulder emerged from the kitchen with a plate of vegan bacon there was a group of people hugging one another around his wife.  
“Damn…” Mulder said placing the plate on the table then walking over to wrap his arms around Bill.  
As Scully returned to the bedroom to take a quick shower before opening gifts, her phone buzzed, again, and again, and again. Picking it up off the side table there were two-hundred and fifteen messages and ten missed calls.   
“A new life.” Mulder said as he closed the bedroom door behind him. “Are you ready for it?”  
Turning off the ringer, Scully placed the phone back on the table before slowly walking over to Mulder, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling his lips to hers. Kissing him softly, then parting her lips to kiss him deeper as his hands moved to her waist and then her bottom where he gripped firmly before pulling her up to him. Her legs locking around his waist, Mulder carried her to the bed before gently lying her down and parting from her, “You didn’t answer me.” He said placing his finger on her lips and running it down her chin, neck and stopping at the collar of her flannel pajama top.  
“Only if you’re with me.” She replied as she gazed up at him.  
“Next stop, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” he said before returning to where he left off.  
December 25, 2019 – 12:30 PM  
In true form, after singing happy birthday and having her mother and father help blow out the candle on her birthday cake, Melissa proceeded to dig smash her tiny hands into the banana smash cake, getting sprinkles all over her new pink dress as her brother filmed the entire event on his father’s phone, as his mother’s was being bombarded every minute with texts and calls she would be ignoring till the next day.  
Mulder had made two cakes, one for Melissa to smash and another for the adults to eat and as the newly turned one year old licked the frosting off her fingers, Mulder went into the kitchen to retrieve the second cake from the fridge.  
“Need help?” William asked as he handed his father his phone.  
“I’m good.” Mulder said shoving the phone in his back pocket.  
“You know you can’t lie to me.” William replied pulling the knife out of the drawer.  
“I’m well aware, I’m also not lying. I’ll admit I am a bit concerned, seeing your mother’s phone blow up the way it did just heightened that fear.”  
“Did you not think it would be a big deal?”  
“No, I did. I guess I just hoped that it wouldn’t be.” He said as he grabbed some plates out of the cupboard and handed them to his son, “I guess you don’t realize how much your life WILL change until it happens.”  
“Like, when you have a child.”  
“Exactly.” Mulder closed the cabinet and looked directly at his son, “You’re not hiding anything are you?”  
“No!” William replied, “In all honesty there hasn’t even been the chance for that for months given Joy lives and breathes college.”  
“Maybe that’s a good thing.” Mulder replied as he picked up the cake, “Now let’s focus on your sister’s big day.”  
“On it.”  
December 25, 2019 – 7:15PM  
“Which Renaissance artist liked to pump iron by lifting weights, and was strong enough to bend an iron horseshoe with his bare hands?” Bill asked his younger sister as she sat on the floor of her living room in her pajamas eating ice cream and brownies wearing her brand new fleece pajamas.   
Her hair in a bun, no makeup and enough sugar to launch a rocket, Scully pondered the question as her playing token sat in the middle of the Trivial Pursuit game. If she got it right, she got the pie and she won, but that meant she was out. She liked winning, as she had finally allowed herself to embrace what it feels like to win, she looked around the room at her brother, husband, son, niece, nephew and their significant others and wanted to just cherish this moment. Of being a family, enjoying life and playing a simple game while eating whatever they wanted and drinking until she possibly passed out. Scully realized she may never have a moment like this again. Sure, her family would still be her family and they were all staying until Saturday – the next two days were reserved for a ski trip up to Wolf Creek where she prayed no one would recognize her – but this a moment she wanted to remember.   
She also hated losing   
“Leonardo da Vinci.” She replied after swallowing a large scoop of ice cream.  
Bill slammed the card down as Scully put her hands out for her last piece of pie.  
“You can’t win twice.” Bill said as she got up from the floor and walked into the kitchen to get another bottle of white wine.  
“But, dear brother…” She said walking into the kitchen before turning back and grinning, “I ALREADY DID!” she yelled before tilting her head back and laughing hysterically at her own joke.  
“She’s obnoxious.” Bill said as he rolled the dice.  
“But she’s still your president.” Mulder grinned as he picked up his own glass of wine and finished it off.


	11. Telluride

December 26, 2019 – 7:25AM  
Mulder wasn’t one to really flaunt his wealth. Given how his father…fathers…obtained their fortunes, he wanted to do as much good with the money as he could; which included treating his family a two night stay at the Telluride ski resort. Once Charlie cancelled, Mulder was able to get his money back for his room, but as he didn’t want to take two cars up to the resort he chartered a mini bus which would take them to the resort, then drive the others to the Telluride airport on Saturday before driving the three of them back home. The drive was at least four hours, and even though they were closer to Wolf Creek, Mulder wanted to get out of town and Telluride was the closest.  
He woke up early to get the dogs and cats to the Pet Hotel – a highly priced boarder – but as he didn’t like the idea of his pets in cages it was worth the extra cost.  
Given the night before was a celebratory mess of sugar and alcohol, hardly anyone had the energy to get on the bus at seven am, but as Mulder strapped his one-year-old daughter into her car seat then sat down next to her, he watched his wife excitedly get on the bus and sit next to him in the back.  
“I’ve already bribed William and Joy into taking Missy for the night.” She said, her pitch just a bit giddier than he was used to.  
“Bribed them with what?”  
“Cabinet positions.”  
“That’s not funny.”  
“I know.” She said playfully smacking him in the arm, “Just some extra spending money when they go to LA with Hannah and Heather.”  
“How much?”  
“Five hundred?”   
“Great. Not even sworn in and you’re already bribing people.”  
“Best to do it now before it’s impeachable.” She said before putting on her sunglasses and resting her head on his shoulder, “For now, sleep.”  
December 26, 2019 – 11:55PM  
The tired group arrived at the Telluride Hotel a little before one and three hours before check-in, but due to the lack of guests Mulder hoped it wouldn’t be an issue. There were a few people mingling in the lobby, an older gentlemen mumbling as he read the newspaper with the headline First Woman Elected President!!! Accompanied by a two-year-old photo of his wife which was also her last FBI badge photo.  
Nudging her a bit, Mulder directed Scully to see the headline and her heart skipped a beat, “It’s surreal. Don’t pinch me.”  
“I have more than pinching planned.” He replied given his betrothed passed out before ten pm due to copious amounts of alcohol and sugar.  
“If I have time.” Scully replied as she adjusted her dark sunglasses and black winter hat to attempt to hide her identity as much as humanly possible as they approached a young woman with dark brown shoulder length hair as she seemed heavily invested in the computer screen below her.  
“Excuse me..” Mulder said in a low tone as she jumped a bit then locked her dark green eyes with his hazel ones.  
“Sorry.” She replied, “I’m a bit jumpy. We’ve had to rearrange things to accommodate someone extremely important so I’m a little frazzled.”  
“Totally understand.” Mulder said as he pulled his black AMEX card and his license out of his wallet, “I have a reservation for five rooms for two nights.”  
Nodding frantically, the young woman with a name tag that stated her name was Catherine, took his card and before she could even type in the last name, the cards fell from her fingers and she looked back up at the group before her. Her eyes growing in shock and aw, her gaze slowly moved from Mulder to the shorter woman directly to the left of him, donning Jackie Kennedy style sunglasses and a large hat with her hair pulled back, Catherine’s mouth slowly opened and the words, “It’s you…” fell from her lips.  
As she was not yet used to this new fame she had acquired, Scully took her husband’s hand and squeezed it hard.  
Waiting for a response which seemed to never be coming, Catherine quickly closed her mouth and swallowed the large lump in her throat. Clearly she was either mistaken, or this woman who was less than a month away from becoming the first female president didn’t want a big deal make out of her presence. Going with the latter, Catherine picked the credit card and license back up and typed the six letters into the computer and waited for the popups she expected. Handing the card back to Mulder she looked back at the screen, “You’ve been upgraded from a standard room to a suite.”  
“We don’t need a suite.” Mulder replied placing the cards back in his wallet.  
“Yes, sir, but this was a management decision. You are all on the third floor and the ability for any other guests to access the third floor has been blocked.” She said pulling out ten key cards and placing them on the desk before Mulder, “You will need to scan your keycard and then press the third floor button. If you lose any of these cards, please let the front desk know so we can deactivate it.” She said as he adjusted the toddler in his arms and Catherine then spoke in a low, but rushed voice, “Our manager Derek will be down in a moment to help you to your room.”  
“We don’t need help.” Mulder continued to object to the way they were being handled, “We don’t want any special treatment.”  
“As I said, it’s not my call.” Catherine smiled as she looked at her watch, “He’s on his way.”  
“Go with it, dad.” William whispered.  
Scully forced a smile as she took a deep breath and removed her glasses, looking directly at the young woman and nodding before saying, “Thank you, Catherine.”  
“It’s my pleasure, Ms. Scully.” She smiled.  
Derek arrived only minutes later with two bellhops, placing their bags on the luggage carts and directing the group to the two elevators, “If you don’t mind riding up with me.” Derek said to Mulder and Scully, “The others can ride up with the luggage.”  
The others.  
Taking a card from her husband’s hand, Scully removed her hat and looked directly at the young man only a few inches taller than her without heels and smiled her best fake smile possible, “I’m sorry, but ‘the others’ as you call them, are my family.” She said as the elevators dinged and both doors opened, “I’m sure we can all fit into one large elevator while you and the luggage can follow us.”  
Derek nodded, “Yes, ma’am.” He said taken a back a bit as she walked past him into the elevator followed by the nine other adults as they fit snugly in the elevator and she smiled at Derek as the doors closed before her.  
“Ten to one he just called you a bitch.” Hannah said as the elevator began to ascend.  
“Or worse.” Heather added, “But thank you for not making us ride up with the luggage.”  
“He was stupid to assume I’d allow that.” Scully sighed as she pulled her phone out of her pocket for the first time since they left and groaned, “I have four phone interviews today and one on Skype.”  
“You did remember to block out time to spend with your family, right?” Mulder said as the elevator passed the second floor.  
“Of course I did.” Scully said as she scrolled through her phone, “The last interview is at six.”  
“Lovely.” Mulder moaned as he adjusted Melissa in his arms, “Glad to know you could squeeze us in.” he replied as the elevator doors opened and he walked ahead of her, looking for their rooms as the other elevator opened behind them with Derek and the bellmen in tow.  
“There’s a jacuzzi tub.” Scully said as she took a mini tour around suite after Mulder tipped the bellmen and they went on to help ‘the others.’  
“Don’t forget to pencil that in.” Mulder said as he placed Melissa on one of the antique chairs which adorned the room, “Oh look, they have a chess board.” Mulder directed his wife to the antique chess table sitting between two matching antique chairs, “If you have time.”  
Trying her best to ignore his petulant behavior, Scully pulled off her winter coat and hung it up on the provided coat rack, “You wanted this.”  
“I wanted you to win, I didn’t want a vacation planned for weeks to be over taken with the same damn interview five times.” Mulder replied as he pulled Melissa’s jacket off of her, “Who are these interviews even with?”  
“The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times. The Wall Street Journal asked and I said I was busy.”  
“Nice.” Mulder couldn’t help but smile a bit.  
“And the Skype interview is with CNN.”  
Mulder internally groaned a bit, “I’d rather you didn’t.”  
“If I don’t, it looks like I’m hiding something.” She said taking Melissa’s pink puffy jacket from his hands, “I warned you this could happen. It’s almost as if you didn’t want me to win.” Scully voice lowered a bit a she clenched the fabric between her fingers.  
“I did.” Mulder sighed, “I just don’t want to lose you either. I’ve seen what can happen with these interviews. If you say the wrong thing you’re trashed all over social-“ he cut himself off before remembering that point was now irrelevant, “I know you have a lot on your shoulders and that comes with the job, but can we just have this weekend? Do all your interviews today, get them out of the way, but actually enjoy some time with your family tomorrow?”  
Scully nodded as the last two days she had been on such a cloud that maybe she needed a dose of reality, “Ok.”  
“Good.” Mulder replied feeling a bit better about everything, well, almost everything, “Now, I’m starving and I’m sure you are as well so let’s go get ‘the others’ and lets have a nice lunch before your first interview…which is when?”  
“Two.” Scully replied as she walked back to the coat rack to hang up Melissa’s coat.  
“That gives us almost two hours. Then, I’ll make a dinner reservation for seven, and send Melissa to stay with her brother and I’m hiding your phone for the rest of the night. Deal?”  
A reassuring smile came over her face, “Deal.”  
December 26, 2019 – 01:20PM  
Two large tables were pushed together behind a glass wall where the party of ten sat and did their best to ignore the looks and the whispers.   
“Both a medical doctor and a former Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of investigation, Ms. Scully will bring some much needed, and missed, knowledge to the office of commander in chief.” Mulder said as he read the USA Today the older man had been mumbling at out loud.  
“You do know how to read silently, don’t you?” Scully said to her husband as she was already nervous about the interviews she had planned for the day, she didn’t need the high expectations weighing her down.  
“It’s just like any other job.” Mulder replied scanning the rest of the short article before he “ahhhed.” And sat up straight before clearing his throat, “As Ms. Scully will become this country’s first female president, she will be joined in Washington by her husband Fox Mulder her partner of over twenty-years with the FBI. The couple have two children.”  
“Happy?” Scully said as she attempted to eat her salad on a nervous stomach.  
“At least I got a mention.” He said folding the paper, “Which explains the room upgrade. If they hadn’t mentioned me, we’d still be in a standard room.”  
Which brought up something else Scully knew would come up in interviews, “Are you upset I didn’t use my married name?” she asked looking directly at the man across the table from her.  
“No.” Mulder replied quickly, “It would have been weird if you did.”  
“But people are going to ask.”  
“Tell them to mind their own business.” Heather added as she twirled her angel hair pasta onto the fork, “Some people say Hillary ran with the name Clinton for the attention it got her.”  
“And the baggage.” Joy added.  
“True, but if she had run for President under her maiden name that would have also said a lot for female empowerment.” Heather continued.  
“Why did you run under Scully?” Lucy asked. “Honestly?”  
Scully shrugged as she looked at the eyes watching her, “Because it’s who I am. Professionally. My degrees are under the name Scully, my licenses, even my carry permit.” She said looking back at the man before her, “It’s not about identity really, it’s about everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve done as Dana Scully.” She looked to Mulder for any kind of argument, but all he did was smile.  
“I get it.” He replied, “Besides, I don’t need my name branded on you to know how you feel about me. Dana Scully is the woman I fell in love with and Dana Scully is the woman who is going to make the citizens of this country proud to be Americans.”  
“I think you got your answer.” William said.  
“And soundbite.” Bill added as he picked up his iced tea glass and instructed the others to do the same, except for Melissa who was already holding her sippy cup with both hands, “To being proud to be Americans again.”  
December 26, 2019 – 01:55PM  
Sitting alone in their room with only her anxiety as company, Scully looked over all the notes on her laptop she had prepared in case she was given any hard hitting questions, including the name issue. She was ready for gun control, abortion, the death penalty. Given all she had done and seen in her fifty-five years on the planet she was ready for anything that was thrown at her.  
At least she hoped she was.  
After taking a walk around the property with his toddler pointing and cooing at ever little creature she saw, Mulder found himself back at the West End Bistro where Hannah and Heather were clearly on their third drinks.  
“You might want to cool it down a bit.” Mulder said to his niece and her girlfriend as he stopped Melissa from grabbing the toothpicks at the end of the bar, “All eyes are on us.”  
“You think they’re going to judge Aunt Dana based on us just having a drink?” Hannah said after taking a large sip of what looked like a Long Island Iced tea.  
“Of course they will.” Heather replied sounding a lot less intoxicated than her girlfriend, “They’ll judge us for that on top of the whole lesbian thing.”  
“Oh yay. More people like my father.” Hannah said before taking a much larger sip of her cocktail.  
“I have no issue with you two drinking as we are on vacation, just please don’t make a scene.” Mulder pleaded with the young women.  
“Guess we better cancel that porn contract.” Heather snorted before sighing and finishing her drink, “We get it.”  
“I had planned on getting on the slopes today, but…”  
“This is what happens when you go into politics.” Hannah slurred a bit, “I’m tired.”  
Heather slid the drink away from Hannah and looked to Mulder, “William found some cards and chips in the gift shop and mentioned playing a game of poker as we wait for Dana to finish her interviews. Are you up for that?”  
“Playing poker with William and Joy?” Mulder smirked as he adjusted Miss. Grabby Hands on his hip, “Not sure that would be very fair.”  
“Why not?” Hannah asked as she tried to grab her glass back from Heather.  
“They’re just really good.” Heather said, “Why don’t we put you to bed for a little nap while the rest of us play some cards.”  
“I wanna play too!” Hannah protested as Heather helped her off the barstool.  
“Is this going to be a problem?” Mulder honestly asked Heather as he watched his niece struggle to stand.  
Heather shook her head, “Her father called while we were at lunch and left a nasty voicemail on her phone.”  
“What did he say?” Mulder asked as his anger towards his brother-in-law began to mount.  
“Just a lot of hurtful things, he was clearly drunk, called her a couple names I refuse to repeat and ended it saying she was ungrateful.” Heather said as she struggled with Hannah to stand up while pulling the phone out of her back pocket, “Take it. I tried to block his number but she wouldn’t let me.”  
Mulder nodded as he shoved the pink jeweled case in his back pocket, “I’m on it.”  
Mulder watched as Heather held Hannah by the waist as they walked to the elevator and waited until it was closed to pull out the phone and listen to the voicemail. His blood boiling with every hateful, derogatory word, Mulder’s eyes turned to the little one in his arms who was now staring up at him, her big blue eyes full of innocence. When the voicemail was over, Mulder turned off the screen and placed the phone back into his pocket before taking a deep breath and kissing Melissa on the forehead, “No one is ever going to hurt you. Most of all me.”  
The poker game was set up in William and Joy’s studio suite where they had moved the small four person table to the middle of the room and added the chair from the desk along with the two red couches so everyone had room to play.  
“We also got two bottles of Coke and Sprite. Along with chips and pretzels.” Joy said as Mulder entered the spacious hotel room with Melissa.  
Mulder nodded as he watched Bill shuffle the cards, “Missy will be content on the floor with her crayons and coloring books.”  
“Damn, I thought she was going to join us.” Bill said in a much more gleeful tone than Mulder was used to.  
“You’re in a good mood.” Mulder said as he sat next to his brother-in-law.  
Bill nodded, “I’m good. Tara called excited about the election outcome and offered to pick me up from the airport.”  
“Wow. You mean my parents might actually get back together before my wedding?” Matthew said as he poured a glass of Coca-Cola and sat next to his father.  
“Not sure it will go that far, but we’ve been getting along a lot better since everything happened.”  
“Guess with less people in the world you actually look appealing.” Matthew replied receiving a quick jab in the arm from his father.  
“Do NOT bring up the wedding.” Lucy replied as she sat down next to her fiancé with her own glass. “Now with Dana being president, can I even invite her? Will it be a mess?” she asked looking at Mulder.  
“Well, you already invited us. The Cuvier Club, February 29th, because you want to be original?”  
“Oh that is a good date.” Heather said as she exited the bathroom.  
“It was Matthew’s idea. It only comes around every five years.”   
“Less anniversary gifts.” Matthew replied as Bill began to deal the cards.  
Lucy groaned as she took a sip of her drink, “It’s a great venue…” she said looking around the table, “If anyone else is looking to get hitched.” She said as her eyes went back and forth between Heather, William and Joy.”  
“How about it?” William said to Joy, “Looking to get hitched.” He said in a mocking way, even though deep inside it was all he wanted.  
Joy smiled and shook her head, “Not yet. Not until I finish school.”  
William nodded and tried his best not to let the actual hurt he felt show, “It’s cool.” He said picking up his glass, “I can wait four years.”  
“Try waiting twenty-seven.” Mulder replied as he organized his cards and wondered why he was bothering since they were all bad.  
“I promise I won’t make you wait that long!” Joy replied laughing a bit as Lucy’s eyes turned back to Heather.  
“Well?” Lucy said to the woman across the table from her, “Double weddings can be pretty fun.”  
“Yeah, like I’m really going to put that pressure on Hannah right now.” Heather said focusing on the four kings in her hand.  
“What pressure? Don’t you want to marry her?” Lucy began to nag.  
“Of course I do.” Heather replied, “She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Someone who loves me for who I am. Scars and all.”  
“What scars?” Bill asked looking at the perfect female specimen across from him.  
“She means emotional scars.” William jumped in for the save.  
“She had a pretty rough childhood.” Joy added.  
“Wait, you all knew each other before the yacht trip?” Bill asked looking at the three before him, “How?”  
“We went to the same summer camp.” Heather added, “I was older, but yeah.”  
“And it wasn’t exactly a pleasant summer.” Joy sighed.  
“For any of us.” William now started to regret this poker idea, “We try not to think or talk about it much.”  
Realizing he had probably said too much, Bill nodded and returned his attention to the three kings before him, “I understand.” He replied remembering one not too happy summer when he was a Boy Scout and attended a jamboree he was better off forgetting.   
December 26, 2019 – 03:55PM  
After two rounds of poker, where Bill won the first game and Heather took everyone’s money in the second, Melissa began to get restless for her purple pup which Mulder had left in their room. As he didn’t want to interrupt his wife during her interviews, he pleaded with his daughter to stick to the crayons, but as the tears began to fall Mulder realized he was in a no win situation and asked the others to watch the crying infant as he would rush to the room and be right back with the beloved stuffed animal.   
Being as quiet as he could as he opened the door, he noticed that Scully’s computer was open on the table by the window, but the room was suspiciously quiet.

“Scully?” he called out in a bit more than a whisper.  
“In here.” Her voice came from the bedroom where he found his wife wiping her face as she sat on the edge of the king sized bed.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked given he didn’t expect her to be crying.  
Her eyes red, she shook her head and dropped her shoulders, “I just needed a moment to cry.”  
“But why?” he asked sitting next to her, “Did the interviews not go well?”  
Shrugging a bit, Scully looked up at the ceiling, “You know how much I hate failing?”  
“When have you failed?  
Unable to hold back the smile that formed from her lips as another tear made its way down her cheek, Scully turned to the man beside her, “Plenty of times.”  
“Not on my watch.” Mulder replied as he placed his left hand on her right thigh, gently squeezing it, “What makes you think you have any chance in failing?”  
“You’re talking about the highest elected official in the country – in THE WORLD. I’ve never been in politics and I’ve seen how cut throat it can be. Maybe I got into this without realizing how much the job demands.”  
“Are you saying you want to back out?” Mulder reacted not knowing if he felt relieved or disappointed or maybe a combination of both.  
Her gaze moving to her own lap, targeting on the hand of the man she had been side by side with in every aspect of her life for the last twenty-seven years, Scully took a deep breath, “I really want to prove to this country, and myself, that a woman can be president.” She said before turning her eyes back to her husband, “But I can’t help but wonder if that’s selfish.”  
“It’s not. Not even a tiny bit selfish. The fact you chose to take this on, when you could have easily returned to medicine proves that you care about this country and the people in it. Maybe some go into politics for their own selfish reasons, for the power they can hold over others, but that’s not you. I wouldn’t have pushed so hard for you to do this if I didn’t think you could, and I know it’s a little scary right now, just like it is when you start any new job. I bet you were even a little scared when you started at the FBI.”  
Scully nodded, “More than a little.”  
“Knowing you were assigned to spy on some guy known in the bureau as being a crackpot.”  
“You always have to bring the spying up.”  
Mulder smirked a bit, “Only because it makes the story so much more interesting. Seriously, you have a strong support staff and no one here wants you to fail. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen.”  
“Too bad you can’t be my VP.”  
“No one wants that.” He said kissing her on the forehead, “Now, I’m on a mission for a purple pup named Violet and you have to go on being your wonderful self.” Mulder said getting up.  
Biting her lip a bit, Scully looked around the room, “I think we left it at home.”  
“NO.” Mulder panicked as he went to his suitcase and quickly opened it, tossing the clothes everywhere before going to his wife’s and doing the same and before he felt like he was going to burst into tears himself, he heard a little voice spelling out Melissa’s name.  
Turning to where the voice was coming from, he saw his wife smiling as she held the stuffed animal in her hands.  
“What?” he asked walking over to her confused.  
“You had left it on the bed. You were so preoccupied with me you didn’t even notice.” She said handing it to him.  
Nodding Mulder pressed the off button before sighing heavily, “One crisis averted.”  
Scully’s smile remained as she wiped her face, “Go take care of Missy, I’ll be ok.”  
“Dinner at seven and then...”  
“And then.” She replied standing up and waving him off, “Go. I’m fine.”  
“OK.” Mulder replied looking at his wife for a few more seconds before heading back to the poker game.  
“I’m fine.” Scully repeated once the doors had closed.  
December 26, 2019 – 06:15PM  
As she relaxed in the jacuzzi tub, the glass of merlot from the tiny bottle in the mini bar resting on the edge of the tub, Scully stared up at the ceiling and for a moment feared she’d wake up and this would have all been a dream. She had these fears many times, and even some nightmares that she would awaken back in her home in Bethesda and the last four years never happened. No going back to the FBI, no reconnecting with the man she had loved since she was twenty-eight years old. No…Melissa.  
Picking up the glass of wine, she downed another large sip before returning it to the side of the tub and closing her eyes before letting her body fall under the water in a moment of deep reflection and maybe a way to jolt herself into realizing this was all very real.  
Her body had emerged from the water just as she heard the door of the hotel room opening and closing behind it.  
“Scully?” Mulder’s voice traveled into the bathroom where Scully felt a bit of relief upon hearing it.  
“In the tub!” she called out to him  
Walking into the bathroom, their one-year old daughter in his arms, Scully couldn’t help but smile looking at the two of them and being reminded, once again, that the last four years were far from a dream.  
“Hey….” She said softly to the two as Melissa’s right hand held gripped father’s grey sweater.  
“I was hoping to give Melissa a bath before dinner so William and Joy don’t have to worry about it.” Mulder said as he adjusted the little one, who seemed to gain at least a pound a day, on his hip.  
“I’m done.” Scully said pulling out the bathtub stopper and picking up her glass before she stood up, her husband handing her a robe by the door.  
“Are you sure, you looked pretty comfortable.” Mulder questioned given he was also quite enjoying the view and couldn’t wait until after dinner when he had some much-needed time alone with his wife.  
“No…I’m done.” she said quickly downing the rest of the fermented mind fogger begore placing the glass on the counter and putting on the robe, “I’m quite honestly famished.” She said before tightening the white terrycloth garment around her waist, “In more ways than one.” Scully almost purred before kissing her daughter on the cheek and walking out of the bathroom.  
“Mommy is tipsy.” Mulder said as he sat his daughter on the bathroom counter, pushing aside the empty glass his wife had placed there.  
“Tipsy!” Melissa cooed in return as Mulder began to pull off her white sweater.  
The one glass of wine before dinner was enough to keep Scully calm as she didn’t want to overdo it given her new role. She was far from an alcoholic, but one glass of wine did seem to make her a little less anxious given all she had set herself up for.  
“How were the interviews?” Scully’s older brother asked after the table had ordered dinner and Scully started to question if what she ordered was too fattening.  
“Fine.” Scully replied after taking a sip of water, “Same questions six times. Thankfully the Skype video wasn’t working so I don’t have to worry about anyone analyzing every line on my face.”  
“What lines?” Mulder questioned as he indulged a local microbrew.  
As much as she appreciated his flattery, it was something that was now weighing heavily on Scully. Every drink she took, ever bite she ate…she was being watched. The Sting song she always felt was a bit stalkerish, was now the earworm forever playing in Scully’s head.  
“So…” Heather started, sensing Dana wanted to talk about anything other than herself, “Skiing tomorrow. Is everyone psyched?”  
“Very much so.” Scully breathed a sigh of relief while mentally thanking Heather for the change of topic.  
“We can’t check Melissa into the Cubs Camp until nine am, but if you all want to get started early don’t let us stop you.” Mulder replied.  
“I’ve never been skiing.” Hannah replied as what felt like a rock concert in her head continued on, “I grew up in Florida. I never even saw snow till we got here.”  
“It’s not that difficult.” Heather replied, “You’ll learn.”  
“Well, nothing is difficult for you.” Hannah replied with a bit of an annoyed tone.  
Understanding that Hannah was clearly hungover from one too many Long Island Ice Teas at the bar, Heather picked up her glass of wine – which never really affected her much – and took a large sip before placing it back on the table and turning to the engaged couple before her, “Have you two ever been skiing before?”  
“I grew up in LA.” Lucy replied.  
“San Diego.” Matthew added, “Never been on skis before in my life.”  
“See.” Heather said to the woman whose eyes looked close to rolling into the back of her head, “You’re not alone.”  
“Whatever.” Hannah replied closing her eyes and resting her head on Heather’s right shoulder.  
“Is she ok?” Scully asked given Hannah was sitting right next to her and clearly wasn’t feeling well.  
“She overdid it at the hotel bar.” Heather replied, “Long story.”  
“Has she ever done this before?” Scully asked concerned.  
“No.” Hannah replied opening her eyes and turning to her aunt, “Your brother is a bastard.” She said as she wobbled a bit trying to sit up before looking to her left at her uncle, “Not you.”  
“I’ve had my moments.” Bill replied.  
Without saying a word, Mulder mentally nodded.  
“Did he do something recently to cause this?” Scully asked.  
“He left a horrible voicemail.” Heather replied.  
“Worst thing that ever happened to him. Selfish dyke bitch.” Hannah repeated just as the server arrived with their salads and a shocked look upon her face.  
Scully simply smiled at the young woman named Naomi, “Little brother problems.”  
“Don’t I know it.” Naomi replied smiling in return as she placed a house salad before Scully, Hannah, and Lucy stating Michael was behind her with the others.  
“I wish I could say I don’t believe he would do that.” Scully said placing the white cloth napkin on her lap, “But with Charlie, anything is possible.”  
Michael arrived with the rest of the salads, as Naomi placed the one minestrone soup in front of Mulder and asked if they needed anything before she left. The collective group shook their heads and as they left, Scully couldn’t help but notice another table of men who had to be in their early twenties, watching her.  
“Every bond you break…” She mumbled under her breath before picking up her salad fork and stabbing into a ripe cherry tomato.  
“This is probably the last public outing we’ll be able to attend.” Mulder said as he handed Melissa a saltine cracker as she had already finished her apples and carrots.  
A small whimper came out of Lucy’s mouth as Scully realized what he had said.  
“No…” she said correcting the man across the table from her, “Matthew and Lucy’s wedding.”  
“Oh, dammit.” Mulder said looking at the woman next to him, “I’m sorry, Lucy. I just had a lapse in memory.”  
Lucy nodded, but the pain in the pit of her stomach remained, “Will you really be able to attend?” she asked the man next to her and the woman across from her. “I’m sure by then you’ll have more important things to do.”  
“Nothing is more important than family, Lucy.” Scully smiled as she placed a cherry tomato on Melissa’s empty plate and looked at her smiling face as she picked it up with her little fingers and popped it in her mouth, “Nothing.”  
December 27, 2019 – 07:35 AM  
As her lucid dreams felt all too real – alone in the middle of desert – the smell of freshly baked croissants began to permeate her senses as her eyes slowly opened and the sun coming through the window by the bed made her quickly close them as she turned over, facing the other side of the room where there was no window and opened her eyes again. The other side of the bed was empty, but as she felt under the sheets, they were still slightly warm.  
Given the previous night’s activities, Scully found herself more than a bit chilly as she sat up in the bed and pulled the covers up over her bare chest in an attempt to retain some body heat. It had been quite some time since two people in their mid to late fifties went on as long as they did, but there was something about being in a hotel room, without a one-year old in the same room or house, along with being the most powerful woman in the country.  
Curious as to where her partner in last night’s activities was, Scully quickly scurried out of the warm bed and grabbed the complimentary terry-cloth robe from the bathroom before walking into the main room to find a room service tray with strawberries, blueberries, yogurt and croissants along with two very large glasses of orange juice. Still curious, and nearing concerned as to where her husband was, Scully picked up a still toasty flaky pastry and began to pick at it as she walked around the room and had made it to the front door just as it opened and a fully dressed in jeans and his favorite grey fleece zip up sweater Mulder entered the room carrying two coffee cups and a large stack of newspapers.  
“Oh good, you’re up.” He said handing her one of insulated paper cups, “Black, little nondairy cream, no sugar.”  
Smiling as she took the much needed and appreciated cup of energy from her husband, she nodded at the papers, “What’s that?”  
“Every paper you interviewed with yesterday.”  
“You had to buy them all.”  
“Of course.” He said placing them on the antique chair by the door, “For the scrapbook.”  
“Since when do you scrapbook?” she said picking up the USA Today with the headline, “One on One with The 46th President of the United States.”   
“Since now.” He replied picking up the LA Times. “I had made a call into the front desk last night if they could get me the paper copies and Derek, the night clerk, said he had a connection. Funny, how power changes your ability to get things.”  
“Just don’t go overboard.” Scully replied.  
“I slipped him a hundred for the effort.” Mulder snickered as he walked to the table with the paper, “I’m kidding. It’s just a newspaper.”  
“Still.” Scully replied following him and sitting down with her back away from the window facing west, “I’m terrified enough of screwing up, I don’t need you making back end deals.”  
“What can I say, it’s just nice seeing our names in print for a good reason.” He said popping a fresh blueberry in his mouth before opening up the LA Times, “When a twenty-eight year old Dana Scully walked out of medical school and into the FBI, how could she have known that almost thirty-years later she would be stepping into the most powerful position in the country.”  
“You can read silently you know.” Scully said as she stared back at the image before her, her 2018 FBI badge photo which she had to have re-taken after losing it in a car accident the week before when a madman then tried to smother her in her hospital room until Mulder rushed in in the nick of time and slit his throat right in front of her.  
Closing her eyes at the memories which came flooding back, Scully took a deep breath, “Where’s my phone?”  
“Where you can’t find it.” Mulder replied now picking up a croissant as he continued to read silently.  
“I understand hiding it last night, but I do need to make sure I’m not missing anything important.”  
“Just eat your breakfast, then we’ll get ready and pick up Missy to take her to the day camp before it’s an entire day of slopes. No appointments, no Candy Crush, no phone.”  
“What if there’s an emergency?”  
“The hotel and the camp have my phone number as well as the kennel, the alarm company, etc, etc.” he said folding the paper and smiling at her, “You’ll never find it.”  
Rolling her eyes a bit, as much as she tried to stop doing that he brought it out of her, after finishing her croissant, Scully got up from the table and looked at the man before her dead in the eye, “Fine, I just hope you remember where you put it.”  
“It’s in a very safe space.” Mulder smiled.  
December 27, 2019 – 08:35 AM  
William sat at on the small couch of the suite he and Joy shared as Joy was helping Melissa use the toilet. His phone in his hand he was reading about the history of the woman he had only gotten to know over the last year, but who had given birth to him over eighteen-years earlier.  
“I love how she knows how to hold it to use the toilet, but still can’t pull herself up onto the toilet.” Joy said as she carried Melissa out of the bathroom, “What are you doing?”  
“Reading The New York Times.”  
“Were they fair and complimentary?” Joy asked placing William’s younger sister next to him as she sat on the loveseat across from them.  
William shrugged, “It’s not a puff piece. They brought up that she has no political experience and how this will be an uphill battle.”  
“And how did she reply?”  
“That she knew that going in. That she’s never backed away from a challenge and intends to appoint people that will assist her in making this country one to be proud of.”  
“Sounds like she was trying very hard to not say make it great again.”  
“Can you really blame her?” William replied as he looked down at the little one staring up at the shiny object in his hands. “I can’t believe she’s only one.”  
“You think we were like this at her age? Walking, talking…potty trained?”  
“I would assume so, it wasn’t until we were a little older that they did so much worse to us.”  
“Makes you wonder what our children will be like.” Joy said out loud without really meaning to.  
“You’ve thought about that?”  
“Since I was pregnant for five seconds, yeah…I do.” She said swallowing the lump in her throat, “A lot really?”  
“You’re not…now…are you?”  
“No.” Joy replied insulted, “I didn’t say I want to have children NOW, just that I do want to have them and the more time I spend with your sister the more I really want them. Just watching her grow, seeing how excited she gets over everything. Just imagine what we could create.”  
“A mad scientists dream.” William replied handing his sister his phone, “Go at it.”  
Melissa giggled as she began to press random buttons.  
“Aren’t you afraid she’s going to break it?” Joy asked as she watched Melissa play with the phone.  
“Nah.” He said as the sound of a cow mooing came from the speakers, “I installed a game for toddlers. All she’s doing is playing with the animals.” He replied as the moo was followed by an oink.  
“You’ll make a good father.” Joy sighed.  
“But not yet.” William replied.  
Joy nodded, “Not yet.”

December 27, 2019 – 10:35 AM  
1976\. 1976 was the last time Scully actually strapped her feet in ski boots and went down a hill at an insane speed for no purpose other than to see if she survived. She was twelve and her family had taken the four hour drive from San Diego to Big Bear for the week of Christmas and after two weeks of ski school she thought she was ready, but now, over forty-years later here she sat on the ski lift terrified of jumping off and she doubted Mulder would just push her off in the same fashion her older brother had.  
“Are you shaking?” Mulder asked as they got closer and closer to the jumping off point.  
“A little.” She replied looking back to see exactly how far up they had traveled. “I haven’t done this since I was twelve.”  
“TWELVE?!” Mulder now questioned why she didn’t say anything when he decided to book the weekend trip. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“I thought it was like riding a bike.” Scully replied turning her attention back to the end of the lift.  
“And when was the last time you rode a bike?” Mulder asked in return now wishing they had stuck to the bunny slope.  
“Not quite sure. I’m guessing the one at the gym doesn’t count.” Scully replied taking a deep breath, “It’s ok. I can do this.”  
Looking at the woman in the dark blue ski suit, her goggles already fogging up from her heavy breathing, Mulder now wished he could make the lift go backwards. “And here I thought choosing Bee’s Run would be a funny inside joke.”  
“Enough time has passed that it is funny.” Scully replied before swallowing the large lump in her throat. “I can do this.”  
“You can do anything.” Her husband replied as she took a deep breath and as they approached the sign instructing them to lift the safety bar, and as if the twelve-year old determined to show up her sixteen-year old brother came back to her, Scully positioned the skis in the proper form, pointing the tips upward and moving a forward as she felt the skis hit the ground, she leaned slightly forward and as she found her balance she was able to stand, using her non pole holding hand to push herself off the chair and then sliding down the incline to the unloading area.  
Impressed with the woman in blue Mulder pointed towards the Bee’s Run sign, “You’re sure?”  
“I’m about to take on one of the hardest jobs in the world.” She said, tightly gripping the poles in her hands, “I can go down a hill on two pieces of wood.”  
Nodding in agreement, Mulder followed his wife towards the entrance of the slope.  
“It’s not a competition, Dana!” Scully heard through her ears as she adjusted herself on the skis, her father’s words echoing through her mind as she watched those who arrived before her start their journey down the snow covered hill. Bill had chosen to ski the Magic Meadows Loop which was much more difficult, but apparently he had to prove something to himself and himself alone, while the others decided to stick to snow shoeing on the Meadow’s Trail.  
It was already eleven. By the time they got back to the hotel it would be noon and they had reservations to take a gondola up to Allerd’s Restaurant at six. This was the last chance Scully had to do something before the secret service was around her at all times and even though there was a small, no large, part of her still terrified of taking this leap, it was almost like a sign that if she could master this, she could master whatever life threw at her.  
Standing beside her, Mulder waited for his wife to push off first and after taking one last look at him she did, and he found himself in amazement at how gracefully her body adjusted to the slope. How she moved her body to one side or the other at just the right time and found himself so distracted he almost forgot to start down as well. It wasn’t a race, it was just another moment in a lifetime of moments and as he made his way closer to her, and eventually passing her, he heard that familiar growl that meant she would be on his tail in seconds and he couldn’t wait for that to happen.  
Her mind at ease, Scully stood at the bottom of the hill waiting for her husband to meet her. He had passed her a few minutes into the run, but the fire that drove her to win took over and she found herself navigating the slope like a master until she hit the finish line – mentally – and turned her skis into a stopping position, turning and removing her ski goggles and hat and taking in the natural vitamin d as she waited for her other half to complete the course. She didn’t expect anyone to recognize her, and no one did. She was free to just close her eyes and let the sun bask upon her.  
“TWELVE!” Mulder yelled as he ended the run and braked his skis a couple feet away from her, “TWELVE!”  
“Are you accusing me of something?” Scully asked opening her eyes and looking at the angry, yet adorable man before her.  
“There’s no way you haven’t skied in over forty years.”  
“I haven’t.” She replied removing the hair band and running her fingers through her locks, “Maybe it is like riding a bike.”  
“Maybe.” Mulder said calming down a bit as he could never really be angry with her for too long, “Well, now what?”  
Scully shrugged, “What do you mean?”  
“Well, you won, so the rest of the day is up to you. Do you want to go up again as you’ve clearly had no issue remembering how to handle yourself on skis?”  
Shaking her head, Scully took a look at the mountain behind him, “Nope. Once was enough. Maybe in another forty-three years.”  
“Shopping? We can take the gondola up early and get some lunch, do some sight-seeing.”  
Her mind clearly trying to distract from what awaited her when they returned home, Scully simply shook her head, “How about, ordering room service and not leaving the room.”  
“I think I can accommodate that.” Mulder replied realizing very quickly he’d like nothing more than some alone time with this woman he’d die for – which he feared would happen more than once coming down that hill.  
December 27, 2019 – 2:15 PM  
“Remember my fortieth birthday?” Scully asked her husband, her head resting on his bare chest as they were lying in in the king sized bed, Mulder trying desperately to find anything of substance on TV.  
“Vividly.” He said as he passed through at least three home shopping channels. Sadly, those survived the event.  
“I was in class all day, hadn’t slept a full night in months…came home and you had cooked this incredible lasagna. You even joked about buying one of those machines so you could make your own noodles.”  
“I had a lot of free time then.”  
“We shared a bottle of cab, you carried me up to bed and it snowed so much class was cancelled the rest of the week.”  
“I like to believe I wished for that to happen.”  
“And my fiftieth…” Scully sighed and looked up at him, “I had a frozen Stouffers lasagna and drank an entire bottle of wine by myself.”  
“I’m pretty sure I did the same – at least in terms of wine consumption.” Mulder replied taking a second to look down at her before turning his attention to the TV and a Back to the Future marathon which had just started.  
“By my sixtieth…who knows where I’ll be.”  
“Into your second term of course.”  
“You say this before I’ve even begun.” Scully said laying her head back down on his chest, feeling his heart beat against her, “I’m scared and excited at the same time.”  
“We both are.” He replied sitting up a bit to grab the bottle of wine on the nightstand and pour some into his empty glass before motioning for Scully to give him hers, “So, let’s just not think about it right now.”  
“We need to get ready for dinner.”  
“I told everyone to go without us.” Mulder said as he filed her glass with the bottle of Merlot he had delivered with the angel hair Pomodoro brought to their room for lunch, “William will pick up something for us to go. I just want more time alone with you before our lives get turned upside down.”  
Taking the glass from him, Scully took a sip before placing it back on the nightstand and taking a moment to look at the TV, “If you could travel back in time, where would you go and what would you do?”  
“I think you already know that answer.” He replied, “Stop the event which has haunted me for over twenty years.”  
“I think it still would have happened. They were determined to take me. You couldn’t have stopped it.”  
“Would have been nice to have had the chance to try.”  
As she didn’t like where the conversation was going, Scully took the remote from his lap and turned the TV off just as Marty crashed the DeLorean into the barn, “We can’t change the past, all we can do is focus on our future.  
Mulder nodded as he took the remote from her hand and placed it back on the nightstand, “And enjoy the present.”  
“Precisely.”


	12. The End of 2019

December 28, 2019 – 12:30PM   
By noon, the minibus had dropped everyone off at the airport. The family said their goodbyes, that they’d see each other in January and wished Scully good luck with everything that awaited her. The ride back home was pretty quiet, as Mulder waited until they were back in the bus alone to give her back her phone, which had a good thirty messages on it before her voicemail became full. Some of the messages were from friends she hadn’t talked to in years, checking in to say how happy they were for her.  
“A man I went on one date with in 1994 has my number.” Scully said looking at her husband, “HOW?”  
“My guess is someone released it.” Mulder assumed as he now added changing her number to the mental to-do list.  
“Why?” Scully questioned, “Who would do that?”  
Mulder shook his head, “I wish I knew.”  
Scully cursed under her breath, “I hope I didn’t miss anything while Mrs. Michaelson from the tenth-grade - who praised my government debating skills and always knew I’d be a good leader - congratulated me yesterday.”  
“Good thing I hid your phone.” Mulder replied.  
“You still never told me where it was.” She replied as she angrily pressed three to delete.  
“And I never will.” Mulder replied as he checked on Melissa who was sound asleep in her car seat.  
“Kenny Taylor sends his congrats as well.” Scully groaned and once again slammed the tip of her index finger on the three.  
“Who’s that?”  
“My third-grade boyfriend.” Frustrated, Scully tossed the phone on the seat empty next to her, “I can’t.”  
“I’ll call the phone company and get it changed when we get home.” Mulder replied. “Everything is fixable. We’ll just put better controls over who has it. Maybe get a second phone for business and this one for personal.”  
“Juggling two phones sounds like a nightmare.”  
“Might be the only way to control things, but I don’t feel comfortable changing your number until everyone who needs it has it, we can just transfer that number to a new phone.”  
“I already feel like I need an assistant.”  
“Do I need to get my resume ready?” Mulder asked in an only half-joking matter.  
“What about nepotism?”  
“Pretty sure that all went out the window with the last president.”  
“Well, I’m doing things differently, but I’m pretty sure I’ll need an assistant.”  
“That’s a given.”  
Stopping off to pick up a pizza for dinner before being dropped off at home, for which the driver was tipped handsomely, they weren’t even in the door before Scully’s phone went off again.  
“Dammit.” She said as she pulled her phone out of her bag as Mulder kicked the door closed behind them, “It’s Beth.”  
“Wonder what took her so long. I’ll get Missy cleaned up for dinner, you take this.” He said dropping his duffle bag by the staircase as he carried his daughter and his wife’s suitcase up the stairs.  
“Hi Beth.” Scully said into the phone, bracing it against her shoulder and face as she attempted to pull off her coat.  
“Dear God, where have you been?” Beth nearly screamed, her voice panicked.  
“I went away for the weekend with my family. I told you about that.”  
“Oh yes. Skiing. How was it?” Beth said her voice much calmer.  
“Nice. Relaxing.” Scully replied, “Definitely needed.”  
“Good. I’m glad you got your rest, because we need you in DC first thing Wednesday morning.”  
“Wednesday? As in January 1st?”  
“Yes.”  
“But I thought nothing happened until after the inauguration?”  
“This isn’t a job you just start after you’re sworn in.” Beth continued, “We have a good two weeks of meetings and preparation to have you at least partially ready by the twentieth.”  
Feeling a migraine coming on, Scully removed the phone from her shoulder so she could freely remove her jacket, and tossed it on the couch before sitting down, “Three weeks of meetings.”  
“And planning, there is an inauguration ball you know.”  
“I guess I didn’t think about it.”  
“There are also photo shoots, appearances…you have a lot on your plate.”  
“I’m realizing that, but you’re giving me three days to pack up my life and relocate three thousand miles.”  
“You don’t have to pack up your life. We’ve already acquired a residence for your family to live in for the next month or two while we get the White House ready. It has five bedrooms and is in a very opulent neighborhood. All you really need to pack is personal belongings and, of course, a Presidential wardrobe.”  
“I don’t need five bedrooms.”  
“What about your son?”  
“He lives in California.”  
“No, Dana, we need him here. With you. Your family needs to be living with you at all times.”  
“He’s eighteen. He’s an adult.”  
Beth sighed, “We’d all feel much more comfortable if he was with you.”  
Seeing the writing on the wall, Scully let out her own deep sigh, “Because of how he is.”  
“What he is.” Beth replied, “You know I’m right.”  
“He has a girlfriend.” Scully added, “He won’t leave her.”  
“Is she aware of his, abilities?”  
Without being specific, as it was no one else’s business, Scully nodded, “Yes.” She said to Beth, “She’s aware.”  
“Is she of legal age?”  
More specifics, “She’s eighteen.”  
“Well, I’ll talk to the group. I’m sure we can make it work if certain arrangements are made.”  
“What do you mean?”  
Beth groaned a bit as she struggled for the words, “We’re trying to appeal to the country as a whole. Given how many people voted for you we think we have a good shot of making this happen, and sadly there is still a segment of the country which will frown upon your son shacking up with his girlfriend.”  
“I honestly don’t care about that segment.”  
“But you need to. You wear a cross, people see you as a woman of faith. Even if you, or I, do not have issues with your son living with a woman he is not married to, there are those who will and those who do will not trust you.”  
Feeling like she was going to be ill, Scully stood up to see her husband standing at the bottom of the stairs holding Melissa, “I’m not forcing my son to marry his girlfriend.”  
“I know you can’t do that. I have teenagers, I know how they are, but I’m not the one a majority of Americans voted for to represent their values.” Beth said as Patrick was hollering at her that it was time for dinner, “I need to go now. I’ll check in tomorrow, and email you the housing information. There’s even a pool and tennis court.”  
“It’s Winter.”  
Beth chuckled a bit, “Take care, Dana.”  
“Sure.” She said before turning off the phone.  
“What’s this about marriage?” Mulder asked walking into the kitchen and placing Melissa in her highchair.  
“That’s all your heard, huh?”  
“Well, someone had to go number two and it was a very big number two.” He said looking at the giggling girl in her high chair.  
“They want me in DC by Wednesday.”  
“Wednesday?” Mulder said opening the pizza box and taking out a slice to put on a plate for Melissa, “That’s in four days.”  
“I know.” She said, “They also want William there. More like demanded it.”  
“By when?” Mulder asked as he pulled out a knife and fork and began to cut the pizza into smaller sizes, popping a fallen black olive into his mouth.  
“She wasn’t specific, but my guess is before the inauguration, at least a week or so.”  
“So, I have to pack up the house and drive out to DC alone?”  
Holding back the tears as much as she could, Scully looked down at her daughter, “You won’t be alone.”  
Nodding, Mulder placed the plate in front of Melissa before looking back down at his wife, “I’ll do whatever needs to be done. You know that.”  
Scully’s phone went off and she looked down to see a photo of William, Joy, Hannah and Heather clearly on a beach with the words, “It’s cold, but awesome. Love you”  
“He finally has a chance to live his own life…” Scully said, “They never said he was a part of this.”  
“You can always quit, but I know you won’t.”  
Handing Mulder her phone, Scully picked up a piece of vegetable pizza and took a large bite, “Maybe it would have been better if he never came back to us.”  
“Don’t say that.” Mulder replied, his voice cracking a bit, “This isn’t the end of the world. I’ll talk to him. Be straight about it, but I’ll wait till New Year’s.”  
Finishing her pizza, Scully went to the fridge for a bottle of water, “Explain to him that because he is the way he is he needs to live with us in the actual White House, and he can bring his girlfriend, but he has to marry her first to appease all the pearl clutchers of the country.”  
“You took the words right out of my mouth.” Mulder replied.  
December 29, 2019 – 8:00AM  
The window open, the sound of the waves crashing against the beach awakened Joy from her slumber. She had slept so much over the last week that she started to feel somewhat human again. Heather and Hannah’s house in Malibu resembled the one she had for her Barbies as a young girl. The guest bedroom, with the queen-sized bed Heather said they would be the first ones to sleep in, was probably the most comfortable bed she had slept in in years. The boarding school’s beds were small with thin mattresses, and even the one they had in their apartment was bought from a place going out of business. Walking down the stairs to the main room of the house, with a seventy-inch TV screen and a direct view of the beach, Joy felt a little green with envy.  
“Hey.” A tired Heather said from the couch which sat before the large tv, a blanket covering most of her body and a script on her lap. “Why are you up so early?”  
“It’s eight.” Joy replied as she walked over to Heather, “That’s far from early.”  
“It is in LA.” She said patting part of the couch next to her, “Sit.”  
Starting to feel a bit chilly in her thin grey pajama pants and matching long sleeve shirt, Joy did as Heather instructed and sat down next to her. Heather then placed part of the blanket over Joy, “Did you sleep well?”  
Joy nodded as Heather tossed the script on the table. “What’s that?”  
“Some new TV series about a female assassin.”  
“You’re kidding…” Joy said looking directly at Heather, “Why would you agree to that?”  
“They’re paying me two million dollars an episode. Well, if it gets picked up.”  
“Have you started filming yet?”  
“Next week.” She sighed, “I’m naked in every episode. It will get picked up.”  
“You’re ok with that?”  
“Science gave me this body, I might as well show it off.”  
“Is Hannah ok with that?”  
“As long as I don’t actually sleep with anyone, she doesn’t care.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Why are you questioning me?” Heather said in a demanding tone, “And don’t start reading my mind because you know when I know you are.”  
“I’m not. In all honesty I try NOT to. It’s not exactly a gift knowing what people really think of me. Oh Joy, that dress looks beautiful on you, when they’re actually thinking I look like a pale potato in a sack.”  
“Pale potato. That’s a new one.”  
“I’m just saying, Hannah seems to be struggling lately. Last night playing Monopoly, she broke down when she went to jail. In. A. Game. You don’t find that concerning?”  
“I do, but she cries during Apple commercials. She cries easily.”  
“Maybe she has a lot built up inside and that’s how it’s coming out. The stuff her father said can’t be helping.”  
“I’d kill him if she asked me to.” Heather sighed and looked towards the stairs to the master bedroom.   
“I know you would…and she probably knows it too, but would never ask you to do that.”  
“I’m supposed to go to this industry party for New Year’s Eve. It should be a lot of fun, but now I question if an open bar could be an issue with everything she’s going through.”  
“Maybe if you actually talk to her first, before she’s surrounded by strangers and endless drinks.”  
Heather nodded, “With you two around to tell me if she’s lying?”  
“No.”  
“Fine.” Heather picked up the script, “I’ve talked to the producers about making my character a lesbian. They weren’t totally against it.”  
“It’s a whole new world…”  
“Yeah, but people like her father still exist in it.”  
An idea popped into Joy’s head, “Heather, Hannah can act.”  
“She’s never expressed interest.”  
“She did it every day at Disneyworld as Ariel.”  
“That’s not acting.”  
“Just hear me out. This show, the idea of your character being gay, and what if in doing so Hannah could be on the show too. Working with you every day…”  
“I like where you’re going, but would she be for it? Being out there, showing the world that she’s a gay woman?”  
“You’ll never know unless you ask.”  
“True.” Heather looking down at the script on her lap, “It doesn’t even have a title.”  
“Is it any good?”  
Heather shrugged and looked at the eighteen-year old woman beside her, “It’s HBO.”

December 30, 2019 – 8:15AM  
Having spent the night before pulling out wardrobe bags he could find stored in the basement, Mulder had to take a very long shower before passing out for the evening - hours before his wife even joined him in bed. His mind still groggy from the allergy medication he had to take thanks to the dust balls which lived in the crawl space, he didn’t awaken till well after his usual wake up time and honestly wasn’t surprised to see the other side of the bed empty.  
Given she was on the phone and the computer most of the night prior, he assumed she would be packing today, but as he walked into Melissa’s room to find his daughter still sleeping soundly his concern began to grow as the quiet of the house began to overwhelm him. Knowing it was never a good idea to awaken a sleeping baby, Mulder took a chance Scully was downstairs just being incredibly quiet.  
The kitchen was empty, no dishes in the sink and the dishwasher had the same number of dishes as the night before. Slipping on his slip-on shoes, he walked outside to see her car missing. Normally she would tell him if she was going anywhere and given he was in a Benadryl haze she may have, but as he tended to overly worry, Mulder went back inside to retrieve his phone and click on find a friend.  
Thankfully, she had her phone on her and he was able to locate her twenty miles away in the heart of Pagosa at a church. A Catholic Church.  
On a Monday.  
The last time she had gone to church was when she was five months pregnant with Melissa and having unusual cramping. The doctor told her to stay in bed, but she took an Uber to the closest catholic church as Mulder stayed at home waiting as he packed up the house in Virginia for their move to Colorado. She was there for at least three hours before coming home and returning to bed.  
The cramping had stopped and never returned.  
It was not shocking that when she felt overwhelmed, she would find solace in her religion. Even if Mulder did not fully understand it, he respected her devotion, but he also felt like he had to be with her.  
After getting Melissa up and dressed he grabbed a Kind bar for himself and a juice box for his daughter promising a more substantial meal once they knew mommy was ok. Given she would be leaving him on an eight am chartered flight direct to DC on Wednesday, he wanted as much time with her as possible before he was just the first husband, man…whatever they would choose to call him.  
As long as they didn’t call him Fox.  
By the time he arrived at the church it was close to ten and Scully’s car was the only one in the parking lot. Getting Melissa out of her car seat, Mulder locked his car remotely as he walked towards the front doors. Hoping, as he had every time he walked into a church, that he would not burst into flames.  
The church was small, and simple, except for the elegant white mantle which sat front and center with an easily recognizable woman sitting in the front right pew.  
Mulder approached her silently, she didn’t even stir when he started walking and as he stood next to her, his eyes focused on the painting of Jesus Christ, he then looked down to see her eyes were closed. Melissa stayed quiet, her big blue eyes taking in all that surrounded her and as Mulder followed her eyes with his, he felt someone take his right hand and squeeze it.  
Looking down her eyes were now open, but damp as she bit her lip and nodded, “Thank you for coming.” She said as she moved to her right giving him enough room to sit down beside her.  
“And I still didn’t burst into flames.”  
As she was sick of that joke, Scully didn’t reply and simply sighed as she kept her eyes forward, “I was up until past midnight and then woke up at five and honestly didn’t know what to do with myself.”  
“That’s a first.”  
“Whenever I feel overwhelmed in life, it just sometimes feels better to come here, even if I know you’ll never understand.”  
“I do.” Mulder replied as he adjusted Melissa on his lap, “Talking to someone who can’t talk back.”  
“He talks back.” Scully replied, “You just have to be open to his message.”  
“Ok.” Mulder shook his head as he looked around the small church, “Can you give me a clue?”  
“Are you asking me or him?” Scully asked trying not to be insulted or annoyed with her husband’s behavior.  
“Both.” Mulder sighed, “I’m not mocking you I swear.”  
“It feels like it.” She replied, her words revealing the hurt in her voice.  
“I’m sorry.” Mulder replied sincerely as he squeezed her hand, “But you do know I’m a living being, and you can talk to me about everything.”  
“Not everything.” Scully replied, “Not when I’m full of so much self-doubt I don’t know how to function.”  
“Guess it all feels real now.”   
Nodding, Scully looked up at the ceiling, “I agreed to be on the ballot, thinking I honestly didn’t stand a chance. And now I’m supposed to be this great champion for women empowerment and breaking the glass ceiling and all I want to do is cry like the scared girl I am.”  
“You can quit. Nothing is official until you take the oath.”  
“I can’t quit.” Scully said softly, “This means too much to so many people. I can’t let them down.” She said looking at Melissa as her little girl smiled back at her mother, “I can’t give up.”  
“Well,” Mulder started as he moved Melissa to a more comfortable position on his lap, “The way I see it, you have two choices. One, you can resign, let this Alex guy take over and just go back to our mountain home and live the rest of your life knowing you COULD have made a difference.”  
Not needing any more guilt added to what she was already feeling, Scully sighed deeply and looked directly at her husband. “Or…”  
“Or, you can go home and pack up what you can when it comes to the business suits you didn’t give to charity, get on that plane Wednesday morning and wait for your family to join you in making us and millions of others proud to be Americans again.”  
“But William…”  
“I’ll talk to him. Man to man. We’ll make it work. Whatever you decide I WILL support you, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d make your decision while we’re having breakfast because I’m starving.”  
Scully nodded as she hadn’t eaten in over twelve hours either, “I could really go for pancakes.”  
“Whatever you want, Madam President.”  
December 31st, 2019 11:15PM  
There were many times in his eighteen years on the planet where William felt like he didn’t fit in, but at an industry party at a house in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean was where he had never felt more out of place. His father had texted earlier in the day that they needed to talk, and he got so busy getting ready and telling Joy every five seconds how beautiful she looked that he didn’t even remember to call his father until the phone buzzed in his pocket.  
Excusing himself from the Hollywood elite, he walked out to the patio where the waves were crashing against the shore and pulled out his phone immediately apologizing for not calling his father earlier.  
“It’s after midnight there…”William replied after the apology, “Shouldn’t you be sleeping.”  
“I wish.” Mulder replied given Scully had been in full panic mode until she finally passed out from exhaustion a good twenty minutes before midnight and now he could sit on the couch with a much needed adult beverage and try to explain to his son what he needed to do. “There’s a lot that’s been happening and I wanted you to enjoy your time in LA before I laid it all on you, but the clock is ticking and we need to talk.”  
“Should I be worried?” William asked given the purposeful tone in his father’s voice.  
“Depends on how you see it.” Mulder replied taking a long sip of twenty year old scotch before placing the glass down on the coffee table before him, “Your mother has to be in DC tomorrow. Apparently there’s a lot more to the job that starts long before you’re sworn in and she’s leaving on a private jet tomorrow morning.”  
“Man, that sucks.” William replied as he paced the patio, turning towards the glass doors to see Joy looking for him.  
“Yeah, it does. I got everything packed to start driving down there as quickly as possible, even got some new carriers for the dogs and cats.”  
“A road trip with a toddler and pets. I don’t envy you.”  
Mulder wondered if he needed a second sip of liquid courage before he continued, “Yeah…well..” he said eying the golden beverage, but stopping himself from taking another sip so early into their conversation, “It’s not going to be just myself, Melissa and the pets.”  
Confused William stopped pacing just as Joy saw him and opened the glass door asking who he was talking to. William mouthed ‘my father’ and she nodded before walking to the edge of the patio and looking down at the ocean. William watched as her hair was blowing in the wind and found himself so swept away in her beauty he was only paying half attention to his father’s words until he realized what he had said.  
“I have to what?” William asked turning away from the love of his life to make sure he wasn’t hearing things.  
“Were you even listening to me?” Mulder asked now picking up the glass to take another sip.  
“Of course I was.” William lied, “But it’s windy here and I may have missed a few words.”  
“You have to join us in Washington.” Mulder repeated.  
“But…” William looked at Joy who turned to him clearly having read his mind as she was giving him a very confused expression.  
“No buts.” Mulder sighed loudly knowing how hard this would be. William was an adult, legally he could do whatever he wanted, but given what he COULD do there was the extra fear of other people knowing what his son was capable of. “It’s the way things have to be right now. Maybe they see it as a way to protect you.”  
“I don’t need protection.”  
“I know that…and they know that.”  
“They do?”  
“These people helped pull off the elimination of a majority of the citizens of this country. You don’t think they’re aware of what you are?”  
Feeling suddenly ill and unsure of what to do, William looked at the woman next to him. Her eyes wide in fear of what was being said to him as her arms were crossed tightly against the jade green dress Heather said would look fabulous on her at the Sugar store before buying it along with dresses for herself and Hannah. Joy had been so happy here she talked about moving down after college and now, “What about Joy?” he asked his father as he did all he could not to force his own heart into shattering.  
There was only a bit of scotch left in the glass and Mulder felt it best to just down it all before continuing, “Apparently we as a family need to appeal to every aspect of the country and the world. We need to be the perfect family.” He groaned as he rolled his tired eyes.  
“Just get to the point.”  
“Shacking up with your girlfriend doesn’t make us look very…perfect.”  
“I’m not leaving her.”  
“I understand that. We all do. Your mother has been agonizing over how to break this to you for days as the last thing either of us want is to see you hurt.”  
“I think I made my stance clear regardless of what this coalition thinks. I’m not moving to DC without her.”  
Joy’s eyes widened even more as she repeated “DC” and William nodded.  
“Then you know what you have to do.” Mulder replied in a direct tone, “I know you already have the ring.”  
At Christmas, William pulled his father aside and asked him for a loan. Even though they were young, he knew that Joy was the only woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and found the perfect princess cut diamond ring in the window at Tiffany’s while taking a stroll at the mall in Stanford. After doing some research he discovered the ring cost at least thirteen-thousand dollars and there was no way he could ever afford that, but he couldn’t imagine any other ring on her finger.  
Mulder made a joke about missing seventeen birthday’s and Christmases and wired fifteen thousand dollars into his son’s bank account the following morning. While Joy was off at the spa with Hannah and Heather, William was able to order the ring over the phone while in Telluride to pick up Monday morning after they were already in LA. While Hannah distracted Joy with helping her find the PERFECT dress for the party, William and Heather went to the Tiffany’s in Century City with a cashier’s check made out for fourteen-thousand twenty-two hundred dollars and fifteen cents. The nice woman Abigail handed him the bag with the small velvet box and Heather shrieked when she saw the ring. He was waiting until midnight on New Years Eve, while everyone inside was counting down he would walk Joy down to the beach – Heather was able to secure him access – and he would just do it. He was excited about the prospect, but terrified beyond belief she would say no. He understood why she could and may say no; they were too young, she was still in school, etc. etc., but given all they had been through in their young lives he just wanted to move on to the next aspect of their lives. Together.   
Now, as he felt the box in his pants pocket – checking several times throughout the night to make sure it was still there – the fear of her saying no became more real.  
“They said if you’re at least engaged then that makes for better…optics.” Mulder continued as his son’s breathing quickened.  
Given Joy was standing three feet in front of him and if she wanted to could have read everything going on in his frazzled mind, there wasn’t much more William could say other than, “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”  
“Midnight, right?” Mulder replied as his son had already discussed the plans with him, but he didn’t share them with Scully given everything else she was dealing with and didn’t want to give false hope in case the young man who shared his DNA chickened out.  
“Yeah.” William replied unable to take his eyes off the woman before him.  
“Well, text me afterwards. I may be asleep by then, but we need to talk tomorrow.”  
“Fine. Goodnight, dad.”  
“Goodnight, son.” Mulder replied before clicking the red button and picking up his glass before standing up and turning around to see a very awake Scully standing at the bottom of the stairs.  
“What ring?”  
December 31st, 2019 11:45PM PST  
After his call with his father, William took Joy’s hands and walked her back into the party where a very sober Hannah was on her fifth club soda with lime as she watched Heather smile and fake laugh with men old enough to be her father.  
“I hate this.” Hannah said as she sucked in the bubbles and wished it was vodka.  
“I hate a lot of things right now.” William replied as he nodded at Heather, “I need to talk to Heather.”  
“Get in line.” Hannah replied, “After midnight we’re out of here.”  
“That’s the plan.” Joy yawned.  
“Yeah…” William said looking at the only two red heads at the party, “You want me to get you a Diet Coke?” he asked Joy as she yawned again.  
Joy nodded as she struggled to stay alert and William said he’d be right back, passing by Heather and asking her to meet him at the bar.  
The bar was a good ten feet away from where he had left Joy and Hannah and he was doing his very best not to even think of the proposal, but now it was all he could think of.  
“What’s up?” a tipsy Heather asked after William ordered two Diet Coke’s.  
“Too much.” William replied making sure Joy wasn’t in ear shot, “My father called…I have to move to DC with them.”  
“Why?” Heather asked nodding at the handsome bartender.  
“Because these people who were behind putting my mother on the ballot apparently know what I am and are requiring I uproot my life.”  
“Did you tell Joy?”  
“Yes.”  
“How does she feel?”  
“She didn’t say, and technically she can’t join me unless we’re..” he patted his front pants pocket.  
Not needing an explanation into the prudes of the country, Heather simply nodded as the bartender gave William his drinks.  
“Well, you better hope she says yes.”  
“And even if she does, oh will you marry me and drop out of school so we can move three thousand miles away to the region of the country you never wanted to return to.”  
“You’re such a romantic.” Heather sighed, “William, she loves you. And I’m sure she can transfer to a school in DC if she wanted to continue her studies.”  
“She’s on scholarship.”  
“I don’t know what else to tell you…”Heather looked at the clock above the bar, “Other than it’s ten till and you need to get going.”  
William nodded as he sucked up some of his beverage before heading back to Hannah and Joy.  
“You want to take a walk on the beach?” he asked Joy as he handed her the glass, “Might help wake you up.”  
“We’ll miss the countdown.”  
“No you won’t.” Heather said, “Go get some air.”  
The speech he had prepared for at least a week was running through his head. He had timed it so that he would be done by 11:59PM giving her a full minute to give him her answer and if it was yes he would be placing the ring on her finger and kissing her by the time the clock struck midnight.  
That was the plan anyway.  
But now, as they walked along the beach, William checked his watch to see he had a good eight minutes and now he just wanted it over with.  
“Joy.” He said as she was a good two feet ahead of him sipping her soda through a paper straw. “Are you happy?”  
Joy stopped walking and turned to face the man who asked her such a strange question, “Am I happy?”  
“With me…”  
“Is this about DC?” Joy asked as she approached him.  
“Partially.” He replied, “I’m not going without you, but apparently I have to go regardless.”  
Joy nodded, “I could tell by the tone in your voice. They know what you are.”  
William nodded and took a sip of soda, “Guess so.”  
“What about me? Do they know about me?”  
“I don’t think so.” William replied, “But to appeal to the family values part of the country, in order to be living together we’d have to-“  
“Be married.” Joy said cutting him off.  
“Or at least engaged.” William continued.  
“Do you want to marry me?” Joy asked walking closer to him, “Because given the situation if you don’t this would be the perfect way to just end things.”  
William found himself shocked by what she just said, “What?” he wanted to make sure he wasn’t hearing things, “I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life without you in it.”  
As she was close to tears already, Joy nodded as a lone tear fell down her left eye, “Me too.”  
Aside from the one line he already let out, the rest of his speech seemed to vanish from his memory and as he watched another tear fall from her right eye, William decided to just take a chance and pull the small box out of his pocket.  
“I’m almost too afraid to ask.” He said as he pulled the box out and looked up to see Joy’s lips quivering in the moonlight.  
“Please do.” She said as her heart began race looking at the small box in his hand.  
Kneeling down to place his glass on the sand, Joy found herself doing the same for fear of passing out as she waited for the words every little girl dreams about to be asked of her.  
Her knees digging into the sand as she struggled to stay upright, Joy looked into William’s eyes and then moved to his hands, watching as his fingers trembled as he opened the box.  
The waves crashing behind her as she found herself fixated on the large diamond ring in the small box, Joy pleaded with William mentally to ask her…and that if he could take two seconds to read her mind he’d already know the answer.  
“Will you-“  
“YES!” she said too quickly before marry me could even come out.  
“You have to at least let me finish!” William chuckled feeling less anxious as he already knew the answer.  
“I’m sorry…” Joy said as she excitedly rocked on her knees.  
“Take two.” William said as he looked back at her, “Will you move to DC with me?”  
“Ask the real question.” Joy said as she just wanted that ring on her finger.  
“And then, when the time is right, marry me?”  
Joy nodded and took a deep breath before replying, “Yes…”  
And without even realizing it the sound of fireworks began over them just as William placed the ring on the shaking finger of the woman he never wanted to spend another day without.  
“You planned this down to the minute.” Joy said looking at the perfectly fitting ring and then back at the man before her.  
“Everything except DC.” He sighed, “That wasn’t part of the plan.”  
“That’s life.” She replied, “You can’t plan for it.”  
“Very true.” William sighed, “Should we return to the party?”  
“I think you need to kiss me first.”  
“Of course.”


	13. Welcome to 2020

January 1, 2020 – 8:30AM MST  
She intended to sleep the entire flight to DC, given the night before consisted of - at most - two hours of actual sleep. After she awakened past midnight to find her husband on the phone he informed her of the sizable gift he had given their son so William could purchase a ring for Joy. He intended to propose that night, and if Joy said yes that would make things a lot easier in regards to getting them to move to DC. It wasn’t until after two am when William and Joy called them with the news. The very GOOD news. Joy said she’d take a break from school if needed, but Scully said she’d see if there was anything she could do in regards to letting Joy telecommute given the circumstances. It would save the tax payers a lot of money if Joy was able to stay in the city and not have to have secret service protection while attending classes.  
Scully didn’t want to start out on a bad foot with asking for favors for her family, but as Joy was already on scholarship it would help if she could at least complete her first year at Stanford remotely. Scully honestly found herself jealous over how much technology had changed in the last twenty years when it came to education in general.  
An hour into the flight she realized sleep would not come and pulled out her iPad to work on her inauguration speech, which right only had the lines ‘My fellow Americans, thank you for bestowing on me…”  
Joy and William would be flying back to Stanford that afternoon and would pack up what they could before getting on another flight back to Denver where Mulder would pick them up from the airport. The last minute first class tickets – along with the cost of bringing two cats as carry-ons – was nothing to sneeze at, but Mulder had honestly missed having his son home and looked forward to them all being under one roof.  
January 1, 2020 – 10:45AM MST  
William and Joy’s flight was arriving at the Denver airport at five, and even though Mulder had fully intended to pick them up and get on the road, he found himself waiting for the company scheduled to pick up his wife’s car and deliver it to their temporary housing in DC. They were supposed to arrive with the truck at nine, but nearly two hours had already passed and he was cutting it close. The drive to Denver was at least five hours, which meant he needed to be on the road by noon and was still packing up the back of his own Ford Expedition like an intense real life game of Tetris.  
The newly turned one-year old would be secured on the passenger side of the row directly behind him. Mittens and Biscuits would be in carriers securely strapped in the seat next to his daughter, leaving just enough room for Joy to sit comfortably for the long road trip and the three dogs would be in the third row. William’s cats would be in hard shell carriers which could be secured under the two with his own felines and Mulder already had a headache imagining the sounds that would be coming out of the seven carriers.  
The navigation system estimated the trip would take twenty-four hours, which Mulder was already pretty familiar with given their move the year before, but these were much different circumstances and when you spend over twenty-years with someone, it feels like a piece of yourself is missing when they’re not beside you.  
As he didn’t want to leave Melissa in the house alone, he had strapped her into her own carrier on his back as he carried suitcases and bags of pet food from the house to his vehicle. The weather wasn’t exactly warm, so she was snuggled up in a pink fleece onesie with grey bear ears as her little covered legs dangled against her father’s sides.  
As eleven am approached and he knew his wife would be landing in DC soon, Mulder brought the last of he and Melissa’s bags out to the back just as the truck from the Auto Shipper arrived. Pulling his phone out of his jeans pocket, he used the app to open the gates to allow the truck entrance and then slammed the trunk shut in an effort to stifle his anger at their late arrival. The two men who exited the truck looked pretty young, and were looking at Mulder funny as they approached him, whispering to each other as the taller of the two pulled out a clipboard.  
“Fox?” The man with the name badge Steve asked.  
Mulder nodded as remotely locked his car, “You’re late.” He replied in the tone of a man who needed to stick to his schedule.  
“Sorry about that.” Steve replied as he pulled out a pen and scribbled something on the form, “Bad traffic accident on the way in.”  
Mulder could tell the man was lying, but decided to let it go and simply nodded.  
“2018 black Ford Expedition.” Steve said looking at the car Mulder had just packed up and then the identical make and model sitting a good five feet away from it, “You have two of the same car?”  
Mulder shrugged as it happened merely by coincidence that while they were separated, he and his wife both purchased the same SUV; at least they bought them from different dealerships.  
“You know how some couples are.” Mulder replied taking a moment to really miss his Mustang.  
“Sure…” Steve replied, “We just need the keys and we can get her loaded up.”  
Nodding, Mulder pulled the spare keys to Scully’s car out of his front pocket and handed them to the man, “Just be careful. Wife’s car and all.”  
“No problem.” Steve said taking the keys and handing Mulder the paper he had been writing on, “We know who she is.”  
Mulder looked down at the form which had his wife’s name typed out and in parenthesis – President Elect. Shaking his head he watched as Steve got into Scully’s car as the other man he never got the name of proceeded to open the back of the truck and pull down the ramp.  
Melissa kicked him on the left side as she rested her head against her father’s back, a signal that she wanted to go back inside. Mulder waited until Scully’s car was safely in the back of the truck before heeding his daughter’s wishes.  
“Let’s get this show on the road.” He said as the front door closed behind them.  
January 1, 2020 – 2:01PM EST  
After the private plane landed at National Airport, Scully was escorted off the jet by the two men who had accompanied her. Generally, secret service is granted to Presidential candidates and their families one-hundred and twenty days before the election, but given the circumstances, the secret service was not directed to come on board until after the election results were finalized and by then Scully and her family had retreated to Telluride which is why the hotel was in full panic mode. As it was, there was a limited amount of secret service agents who had survived the event - most being those who were with the former presidents when it occurred – so new agents had to be brought in to oversee Scully and her family. She wasn’t even made aware of this until Mark and Richard greeted her on the plane apologizing for not getting to her sooner and asking where the other members of her family were.  
By the time she arrived in DC there was a very angry Marita waiting for her at the bottom of the steps yelling at someone on the phone about dropping the ball.  
“Well, you made it so there’s that.” She said slamming her index finger on the red button while looking behind the two men who had to be close to seven feet tall, “Where’s Mulder, your daughter and your son?”  
“They’re driving in.” Scully replied, “They should be here in a few days.”  
Her face growing redder, Marita pulled the phone back out of her purse, “Driving…” she mumbled before pressing nine buttons and exhaling, “Franklin and Marshall. Where are they?” she said to the person who answered, “DIA. Yeah, well that doesn’t do us much good when DIA is five fucking hours from Pagosa Springs.” She sighed heavily, “Graham and Yates…have they at least reported in?”  
Marita was rattling off names Scully didn’t know as she pursed her lips and motioned for Mark and Richard to lead Scully to the car.  
The President typically was driven in a vehicle nick named The Beast, but they were working on a new car for Scully and her immediate family so a Cadillac limo that seated eight was sent to pick Scully up from the airport. There was a bottle of vodka next to the passenger seat and there was a small part of her that wanted to partake, but felt it best to stay level headed as Mark and Richard got in the seats directly across from her and two other gentlemen rolled her four large suitcases and two garment bags to the back of the car.  
She could still hear Marita speaking loudly before the trunk closed and turned to the two men who hadn’t spoken much during the plane ride, “Do you have any idea what that is all about?” she said motioning towards where Marita still stood.  
“There were some issues getting agents to the proper locations. Whereas you should have had protection back in early December, we’re pretty short staffed and it takes time to get agents properly trained.” Mark replied.  
“And there were address issues. We had Denver as your home address and we didn’t know your son was out of state until just yesterday.” Richard added  
“Well, we’re all alive. That’s all that should matter.” Scully replied.  
“One would think.” Mark sighed, “I’ve been doing this for twenty years, but we lost so many special agents and uniformed division officer last July. It was my wife’s birthday and we were in Paris when it happened. The agent covering for me had three kids.”  
“I was home with the flu.” Randall added. “My wife went to get me soup and never came back.”  
Scully watched as the man who was probably the same age as she was held back his tears as he looked out the car windows, “Just…gone. No explanation, no funeral…in a way I’m glad we decided not to have kids. How do you explain to them that their mom just vanished?”  
The pit in her stomach had a tendency to come back every now and then when she was reminded what happened on July 4, 2019, but being face to face with those it directly affected made her overwhelmed with grief being one of those lucky enough to survive it, “I don’t know.” Scully replied to the man.  
Randall nodded as he looked back at the small woman before him, about to take on so much, “No one does.” He replied, “But right now we need a leader who can understand what we’re going through.”  
Scully nodded, “I know we do.” She replied softly just as the door across from her opened and Marita got in, “Where is Mulder now?”  
“He should be on his way to the Denver airport to pick up our son and Joy.”  
Marita was texting something into her phone when she stopped and looked directly at Scully, “Joy?”  
“His fiancé.” Saying that sounded so strange given she was talking about two eighteen-year-olds.  
Marita looked at the men and then back at Scully, “Taylor.”  
Scully nodded again, “Yes.”  
Snorting a bit, Marita shook her head, “Well, I should have seen that coming.”  
“What do you mean?”  
Marita looked at the two men across from them, “You know what I told you about her son?”  
Both men nodded.  
“Joy is the same.”  
“Ah..” Randall replied, “Then Graham and Yates are the perfect agents to place with them.”  
“I still don’t even understand how Graham passed the exam.” Mark rolled his eyes.  
“Grading on a curve.” Randall added and both men proceeded to chuckle as Scully looked at all of them in confusion and anger.  
“You told them about William?” She asked Marita in an extremely livid tone.  
“They’re your secret service detail. They have to know what they’re facing.” She said returning her attention to the phone, “Ok, Graham and Yates will get on a plane to DIA, Franklin and Marshall will stay in place and we need Mulder’s make and model and license plate number so we can track him from the sky on his way to the airport.”  
So much information was thrown at Scully all at once that she wasn’t sure how to reply, “His car?”  
“Yes, his car. We can’t have he and your son and Joy driving from Colorado to DC that’s just not going to happen. I thought it was explained to you that we needed ALL of you to be in DC today.”  
“I was told I had to be here.” Scully said taking her phone out of her bag, “Beth said just me.”  
“Which is why Beth isn’t in charge.” Marita groaned, “She’s good, I’ll give her that, but her attention to detail is somewhat lacking. She’s done her part and now she can just stay in Arizona playing golf or whatever it is people her age do.” Marita looked at the phone in Scully’s hand, “Call him. Tell him when he gets to DIA to pick up your son and Joy, that he needs to then drive to Signature Flight Support where they will get on a plane which will bring them here.”  
“What about his car?” She asked seeing the text from Mulder that her car was FINALLY picked up.  
“We have a service that can take care of that. I’ll contact them now.”  
“We have pets.” Scully added.  
“Of course you do.” Marita replied as she continued to type into her phone, “How many?”  
“Three small dogs and two cats. William also has two cats.”  
Marita’s eyes widened a bit as she continued to type, “Plenty of room on the jet for seven pets and three adults.”  
“And one infant.”  
“Oh yes.” Marita replied, “Can’t forget the infant.” She said before clicking send and looking at the plane as the stairs were pulled up, “We can go now.” She angrily directed to the driver before the engine started and they pulled out.  
January 1, 2020 – 12:30PM MST  
Mulder had stopped for gas in Center, Colorado – a good hour from home – while Melissa napped in her car seat, the cats dozed as well and the dogs whined in the third row seats.  
And he still had twenty-three hours to go.  
While the gas pumped into the tank, Mulder shoved his credit card back into his wallet just as his phone went off. Seeing who was calling brought the grin he could never hide to his face as he picked up the phone and sat down in the driver’s seat.  
“Well, hello President-Elect.”  
Scully audibly groaned given the way he had said it, several times, the night before and she really wasn’t in the mood for his goofiness, “We have an issue.”  
“What kind of issue?” Mulder replied checking to make sure Melissa was still asleep.  
“Apparently, we were all expected to be in DC today and once you get to DIA and pick up William and Joy they need you to drive to Signature Flight Support where a plane will be waiting as well as a truck to transport your car.”  
“So, you’re telling me I don’t need to drive over twenty hours with seven animals, two teenagers and a toddler?” Mulder replied just as the auto-shut off on the gas pump clicked.  
“I can hear in your voice how incredibly disappointed you are.” A small smile forming over her lips as the car pulled onto I-66 and the memories of so many road trips with her husband in their former life came flooding back.  
“The first hour has been ever so enjoyable.” Mulder said as he pulled the pump out of the gas tank, returning it to its original location as one of the dogs, his guess being Joey who had always been the most vocal of the canines, yipped in his cage, “I guess I didn’t really think about the logistics of a road trip with pets.”  
“And the last time you road tripped with Melissa she wasn’t really talking yet.”  
“Very true.” Mulder sighed, “Well, DIA is still another four hours away and I want to be there before Joy and William land so I best get going.’  
Scully nodded as the car turned onto Foxhall Road, “Just let me know when you get there.”  
“License plate…” Marita mumbled as she was still typing manically on her phone.  
“Oh, we need your license plate number so they can keep an eye on you from the sky.” Scully said knowing immediately what his reaction would be.  
“Keep an eye on me?” Mulder replied as he slammed the driver’s side door shut and placed the phone in its dashboard case, “I don’t like the sound of that.”  
“They just want to make sure you’re safe.” Scully added as she looked to Marita and shrugged.  
Marita nodded, “Which is precisely why we didn’t want him driving in the first place.”  
“Did you hear that?” Scully asked her husband.  
“Yeah, I did.” Mulder sighed, “ZYE-1194.”  
Scully repeated the plate number to Marita who entered it into her phone.  
“I think we’re good now.” Scully took a deep breath as they headed up a long driveway to a large grey bricked house with what looked to be a castle like spire where the front door was located. The car stopped and the engine was turned off and Scully realized she hadn’t said anything for at least a minute, “Are you still there?”  
“Yup.” Mulder said as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, “Just…waiting.”  
“For what?”  
“You know what?”  
Her mind so frazzled she almost forgot their end of phone call rules, “Oh!” she said catching herself as the driver walked by her to get her bags out of the trunk and the agents were staring at her, “I love you.”  
“Love you too.” He replied before saying they’d talk later and disconnecting the call.  
Trying not to gag, Marita opened the door and got out, Randall followed as Michael instructed Scully to get out of the vehicle as well. Michael followed behind Scully as she followed the other agent and Marita to the front door of the home. Pulling keys out of her bag, Marita opened the front door as an alarm immediately went off.  
The keypad was next to the door where she entered a six digit code and the alarm stopped, “It’s on at all times so you will need to remember the code as there are alarms on all windows and doors. I’ll show you how to set your own code before we leave.”  
Scully nodded as she took in the spacious home with the circular staircase behind her and the hardwood floors, “This place is gorgeous.”  
“Glad you like it as it will be your home for the next three months.” Marita said as she handed Scully the keys.  
“Three months?” she asked, “But what about…”  
“The large home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Well, repairs are needed as after the event a group of…people…were able to break in and vandalize the home. We’re talking torches and chainsaws so it’s going to take a few months before it’s safe for you to live there. We have secured an incredibly safe office location until the Oval Office is ready where you and your staff can begin working.”

“I’ve never had a staff.” Scully laughed nervously, “I’ve never even had an assistant.”  
“You will need to hire a personal assistant and a secretary to the White House and we feel it’s best to make these choices before you’re inaugurated. They won’t start until January 20th, but it’s smart to have these positions in place. To make things easier, we’ve already finalized the positions of Chief of Staff, Chief Counsel and Press Secretary.”  
“At least I get to make some decisions on my own. So you’re saying I can’t just hire my family?”  
Marita smirked, “We wouldn’t recommend that.” She said as pulled a phone out of her purse, “This will be your new phone.” She said handing Scully the large phone she didn’t recognize ever seeing before.  
“Why do I need a new phone?”  
“Why are you asking stupid questions?” Marita replied, “I know you love the iPhone, as do I, but you need more security now and everything on this Pixel 4 phone is secured in a Titan M chip. You can still use your face to unlock it and an Android isn’t that different from the iPhone, but this is the phone we will need you to use when it comes to your new position.”  
Scully nodded as she looked down at the new device in her hand, “I’m sure William can help me set it up.”  
“Maybe he should be your assistant.”  
“What about the not hiring family members?”  
“Well, with him around you won’t need these guys as much.” Marita shrugged, “We’ll see what happens as I’m sure an eighteen-year-old has no interest in being his mother’s assistant.”  
Scully nodded, “I’d feel a lot safer.”  
“Let me give you a tour of the house.” Marita said as she began to walk up the stairs waiting for Scully to follow, “There are five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.” She said after Scully started up the stairs, “One of the bedrooms is on the main floor which leads out to the patio, that may be the best option for your son and Joy.”  
Scully didn’t question her reasoning given Marita was one of a handful of people who knew what Joy and William were capable of, but at the same time she knew she would feel better if her family was all sleeping on the same floor.  
“The master bedroom is to your left.” Marita walked into the spacious and bright bedroom where a mahogany bed with red and grey linens next to matching mahogany night stands. Scone lights were each side of the bed and as Marita spoke about the adjoining covered terrace and the new jacuzzi tub all she could focus on was how inviting the bed looked.  
“You’re exhausted.” Marita said realizing Scully hadn’t heard a word she said.  
Scully nodded as a small yawn escaped her lips, “A little.”  
“Ok, well I’m sure you can find everything on your own. We’ll stay downstairs until the rest of your family arrives and aside from being picked up every day to go to into the office, you really won’t see the many secret service agents until you’re inaugurated. By then it could be different agents as everything is a jumbled mess right now.”  
Scully nodded as she pulled off her coat and placed it neatly over the back of one of the chairs by the window and as she looked down the covered pool her mind drifted to that awful day, “Marita?” she asked the window before turning to the blonde woman who was near the door, “How many agents were lost that day?”  
“You don’t want to know.”  
“I have to know.” Scully replied crossing her arms and approaching the taller woman, “Honestly, I should have the name of every single life lost that day burned on my brain.”  
“Fine.” Marita said tossing her phone in her bag, “Out of the three-thousand-two-hundred secret service agents employed by the government on July 4, 2019, we lost two-thousand and fitty-eight.”  
“Oh.” Scully said swallowing the large lump in her throat.  
“It wasn’t a perfect operation, but there were a lot of unintended casualties.” Marita took a deep breath, “People are going to ask you these difficult questions and BEYOND not revealing what you know, you have to remind those terrified citizens that we will all be ok. That’s your job now, Dana. In a way, you’re the country’s mother.”  
“I’m not sure how prepared I am for that.”  
“You are, or we wouldn’t have chosen you.” Marita smiled and turned to leave before turning back around, “Oh, you’ll meet Alex tomorrow as well.”  
“That’s good given I know absolutely nothing about him.”  
“Well, he’s thirty-nine, was a human rights lawyer for the ACLU, married with twin eight-year-old girls who are just the most adorable children you will ever meet.” Then shook her head a bit, “And he’s like us.”  
“Us?” Scully asked sitting down on the end of the bed and grasping one of the bedposts, “Us, us?”  
Marita nodded, “He worked at the camp as well, so William and Joy may remember him.”  
“They didn’t mention knowing his name when it was on the ballot.”  
“But they remembered me…” Marita said recalling the meeting which brought Scully and Mulder back into her life last year.  
“You made an impact, yes.” Scully replied, “But he’s not like William and Joy?”  
“No one that we know of is like William and Joy.” Marita said, “At the camp, every child had their own unique skillset or power however you’d like to see it. They were the only two of their kind.”  
“Then what can Alex do?”  
“Other than make women and men’s heart race, nothing. When he was in his teens, he had Hodgkin’s and was given a bone marrow transplant.”  
“Let me guess where the bone marrow came from.”  
“I know you don’t have to guess. Dana, there are more people like us in this world than I believe you will ever know or understand, but they are just like everyone else other than the immortal thing.”  
“We’re not immortal.”  
“Well, not if the world blows up, we’re not, but aside from that we will never visibly age past fifty and will never worry about developing cancer or any other life-threatening disease. You have to see the benefits in that, given your natural age and the age of your daughter.”  
“I do.” Scully said yawning again, “But I’m also extremely tired so if you don’t mind.”  
“Not at all.” Marita said giving her a reassuring smile, “I’ll be downstairs.”  
January 1, 2020 – 06:15 PM MST  
Joy and William’s flight was delayed due to weather. Mulder found a nice spot on the third floor of the DIA parking garage where he played Solitaire on his phone while Melissa snacked on Goldfish crackers. He was honestly thankful for the delay given he had to stop about an hour from the airport to let the dogs get some relief. Finally, after he had lost his fifth game in a row the text from his son that they had landed arrived and Mulder let out a sigh of relief as that meant he was that much closer to getting to their new home and the woman he couldn’t bear being apart from.  
Mulder texted back where he was in the parking garage and it took another thirty minutes before his son and future daughter in law, towing bags and two cat carriers, made their way to his vehicle.  
“Would it be fair to say I’m not looking forward to this trip?” William said as Mulder opened the back of the car and shoved his son’s and Joy’s bags in the back.  
“He’s just cranky because he’s only eaten pretzels.” Joy replied as she opened the side door and after saying hi to Melissa placed the hard-shell cat carriers next to the two already there before pulling herself into what was left of the seat.  
“Well, the good news is that plan has changed.” Mulder said slamming the back shut, “We are now taking a private plane to DC.”  
“Seriously?” William asked as he got into the passenger seat, “That will save time and aggravation.”  
Mulder nodded, “Apparently we were ALL supposed to join your mother today.” He said closing his own door and pulling on his seatbelt, “Everything is kind of a mess.”  
“Well, it is the government.” William replied putting on his seatbelt as well.  
“We’re going to try to fix that. Well, Scully will.” Mulder said as he turned on the engine and took a moment to look at Joy in the rearview mirror. “Are you sure you’re ok with everything, Joy? I know this cut your vacation short and then there’s school.”  
“I’m fine.” Joy said as she adjusted herself between the door and the carriers, “My entire life it was drilled into me that med school was all that mattered, and then I grew up and realized how much MORE mattered.” She said smiling at the man in the passenger seat, “In all honesty, I was thinking of dropping out for a while. I wasn’t happy there, but I also didn’t want waste my scholarship. Maybe this was the break from it I needed…”  
“Just keep your options open. You don’t want to have dropped out and then realized what a mistake losing a free education was.” Mulder added.  
“I know. I know…” Joy sighed and looked out the side window as Mulder backed out of the parking spot.  
January 2, 2020 – 01:15AM EST  
Her eyes opening from a dead sleep, Scully sat up quickly – having passed out in her grey dress slacks and white blouse on top of the covers to see it was after one am. She had left her bag on the chair with her coat and fumbled in the dark with only the moonlight to guide her, to retrieve her phone. There were missed calls and texts from her husband letting her know they were on the plane and one twenty-minutes earlier that they had landed. The light in the hallway came on as Scully turned around to see Randall at the door.  
“Your family is on their way, ma’am.” He said as she nodded and didn’t bother putting her shoes on as she followed Randall out of the room.  
“Have you been here the entire time?” Scully asked him as she followed him down the stairs.  
“Yes, ma’am,” Randall replied, “That’s part of the job.”  
“When do you sleep?” she asked.  
“I really haven’t since Sonia died.” He replied standing by the door, “But don’t worry, it doesn’t affect my job. I’ll head out as soon as your family arrives and another set of agents will escort you to the office. You will have new set of agents protecting you after the inauguration so you may not see me much.”  
“That’s too bad.” Scully said leaning against the staircase, “I was just getting to know you.”  
“Just so you know, we’re not really allowed to talk about our personal lives. As it is you already know too much about me, but given I won’t be on your permanent detail I didn’t see any issue.”  
“Well, I appreciated it.”  
Randall nodded as he pressed the listening device in his ear, “Yes, copy.” He said before nodding to Scully, “They’re in the driveway.”  
“I guess I have to wait here.” She replied.  
“Yes.” Randall said as he waited in front of Scully for the front door to unlock and open and the sound of barking and meowing to commence.  
Her heart skipped a beat when she heard her husband tell Joey to be quiet, but waited for the door to shut and lock and Randall to step out of the way before she wrapped her arms around the neck of the man she hadn’t seen in nineteen hours.  
Mulder handed the leashes off to his son so he could hug his wife and William smiled at the couple as he stepped away.  
“Can you lead me to the place where I can let these three do their business?” William asked Randall who nodded towards the back then picked up his radio, “The son is heading your way with three canines.” Randall looked at the said canines, “Small canines. Over.”  
William headed in the direction he was told as there was a beep and a door opened, a young woman was standing at the door in a black suit and nodded at William as he passed by with the anxious pups.  
“This is surreal.” Joy said as she carried two cat carriers into the living room and placed them on the hardwood floor, “Is it safe to let them out or do they need to be searched first?”  
Randall shook his head, “It’s fine.” He said before pressing the earpiece again and then asking Scully and Mulder to please step away from the door while the rest of their things – along with Biscuit, Mittens, pet food and litter boxes - were brought in.  
“This is weird.” Mulder said stepping behind Randall and taking his wife’s hand as he looked down at her, “Looks like you got some sleep.” He said noticing the crease on the side of her face.  
“Much needed.” She replied she said looking around, “Marita said she would stay till you got here, but I don’t see her.”  
“Family emergency, ma’am.” Randall replied as he kept his eyes on the open front door.  
“I didn’t even know she had a family.” Mulder noted.  
“Everyone has a family, Mulder.” Scully replied.  
By three am, Scully had taken a long shower and put on her winter fleece pajamas as Mulder unpacked as much as he could before he became too tired to continue. One of the four other bedrooms – the one closest to the master suite - had been made up for Melissa complete with a canopy bed and plenty of toys and stuffed animals. While his wife showered, Mulder cleaned his sleepy daughter up and changed her into her pajamas before tucking her into the new bed. As he was leaving, Mittens found her way to Mellissa’s temporary bedroom and made herself comfortable on the padded window seat by the bed. Mulder smiled at the kitty as he turned off the lights and left the room, leaving the door open a bit in case Mittens needed to get out.  
The other cat and dog beds were placed in the rec room in the basement along with the motorized litter boxes and emergency grass for the dogs. Joy and William did take the other master bedroom on the main floor and helped get the animals to bed before turning in for the night a little before three as well.  
“I have a car picking me up in five hours.” Scully said as she pulled the covers from the right side of the bed and got in, pulling the down comforter and high thread count sheets over her, “I just want to sleep for another day.” Even though she had napped for over ten hours, she still found herself unbelievably exhausted. She hadn’t felt this tired since she had mono in the tenth grade and she knew that wasn’t a possibility now.  
“It’s been a long one.” Mulder said as he followed suit and got under the covers next to his wife, “Guess you can’t call in sick.”  
“No.” She yawned as she set the alarm for seven before turning off the light next to the bed.  
Mulder couldn’t help but notice a light outside the window, “How many people are out there?”  
“I don’t know.” Scully said as she laid down and turned onto her left side, “Just don’t think about it.”  
“This is going to be really difficult to get used to.”  
“Would you rather they not be out there?” she asked with her eyes closed.  
“I guess I wish they hid better.”  
“They do.” She replied, “Just go to sleep.”  
January 2, 2020 – 06:05AM EST  
Scully’s eyes opened an hour before sunrise, her eyes focused on the man next to her as his mouth hung open as he dozed peacefully. As three hours of sleep – in addition to the ten or so hours she got when she arrived at the Chain Bridge Road home – was better than nothing, Scully got out of the warm bed and made her way to the next bedroom where her daughter slept. She was honestly not surprised to find her daughter sitting up in bed petting Mittens.  
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Scully whispered as she entered the room.  
“Mama!” Melissa squealed. Mittens looked up at the invader and then closed her eyes and let the delicate hands of the child continue to stroke her soft fur.  
Scully leaned down by the bed and just watched as her daughter pampered the protective kitty, “I could be seeing things, but you seem to have grown overnight.” She said remarking that the child did seem a bit taller than she was only hours earlier.  
Getting up from the floor, Scully went back into her room and rummaged through her bag until she found a mechanical pencil – which she used for crossword puzzles as she didn’t trust herself enough – and returned to Melissa’s room. After asking Mittens to scooch, Scully picked up her child – who even seemed to be a bit heavier – and walked to the doorway where she placed Melissa on her feet and then gently pushed her against the wall before drawing a line directly above her head.  
“I’m probably just paranoid.” Scully said, “You do have a six-foot-tall father.” She said before picking Melissa back up and asking her if she was hungry for breakfast.  
Scully jumped a bit when she saw a woman sitting at the dining room table with an insulated cup of coffee, “Excuse me…” she asked given she wasn’t told agents would be in the house.  
“Good morning, ma’am.” The young woman nodded.  
Not to mention she was getting sick of being called ma’am, Scully internally huffed as she adjusted her daughter on her hip, “I wasn’t told there would be agents in the house.”  
“Yes, ma’am. Two on each floor. My shift started at six.”  
“You know, I don’t really need THIS much protection.” Scully said as she walked past the young woman into the spacious kitchen, placing her daughter in the provided high chair.  
“It’s protocol, ma’am.”  
“STOP CALLING ME MA’AM!” Scully snapped at the woman who didn’t flinch. “I’m sorry.” She said collecting herself, “I’m not a morning person.”  
The woman didn’t respond, but simply nodded in response.  
Scully shook her head a bit as she grabbed a coffee cup from the cabinet above the Keurig – lucky guess – and then grabbed a Peet’s coffee pod and placed it in the holder hoping a bit of caffeine would ease her nerves.  
“I just hope they got something you like.” Scully said to her daughter trying to pretend there wasn’t a strange woman with long jet-black hair pulled into a low pony tail sitting at her dining room table.  
“There are fruit and cheese packs in the refrigerator.” The young woman said.  
Still trying to ignore her, Scully opened the fridge to see that there were plenty of fruits, vegetables and snack items for a growing toddler.  
“Plates are to your left.” The agent continued not looking away from the table.  
Grabbing a cheese stick and a bowl of cut up strawberries, Scully then took a purple plastic plate with three separate compartments from the cabinet and dumped an appropriate amount of strawberries on the plate before unwrapping the string cheese and placing it on the plate. The Keurig popped just as Scully placed the plate before her hungry daughter who quickly picked up the cheese stick and began to eat it.  
“Thank you.” Scully finally said to the woman as she pulled the coffee mug from the Keurig, “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”  
The woman nodded and took a sip of her own coffee.  
“My name is Dana, please just call me that.”  
The woman nodded again, “Yes, Dana.”  
Scully leaned against the counter watching as her daughter ate with her fingers, taking a much-needed sip of her coffee before placing the mug down and looking for something else for her daughter to drink. The agent stayed quiet as Scully started opening cabinets and, in the pantry, eventually found a box of Apple & Eve juice boxes which her daughter loved.  
Coming down the stairs, Mulder jumped a bit when he saw the young woman at the table, then just shook it off passing by her into the kitchen as Scully was handing the juice box to Melissa.  
“They have all her favorite foods.” Scully said to her husband as he ran his hands through his hair while yawning.  
“I know.” He said as he perused the various KCups, “While I was on the plane Marita asked me what she liked.”  
“I didn’t know she had your number.”  
Mulder shrugged as he didn’t see the harm in it, “Probably from back last year when we first got a hold of her.”  
“Oh.” Scully replied picking up her cup and figuring she needed another sip, “Well, I appreciate her doing that.”  
Mulder found a pod he liked and placed it in the Keurig, “I hate these things, but it is convenient.”  
“Mugs are in the cabinet above.” Scully said taking a moment to check on Melissa, “I should get ready.”  
Mulder nodded, “I’ve got her, go get what you need done.”  
Scully stepped out of the kitchen then quickly turned to kiss her husband on the cheek before heading back out of the kitchen.  
The woman without a name kept her eyes forward and in that exact moment Mulder realized their lives were now under a microscope.  
January 2, 2020 – 8:20AM EST  
The car picked Scully up precisely at eight am, and wearing a black pantsuit and red blouse she let two male agents who didn’t even introduce themselves walk her to the waiting town car where they sat in the front and she had the back to herself. Realizing she still had a phone she didn’t know how to work in her bag, she pulled her iPhone out and turned on the VPN her son had installed; at least that was better than nothing.  
They arrived at the office building a few blocks from The White House twenty minutes after eight. One of the agents opened the door for her to exit and one walked behind her as another walked in front, but at such an angle that no one could get by them. As independent a woman as she liked to be, this would take a lot of getting used to.  
The agents walked her past other security officers to a large office where the door required a pass card where a young woman with light brown hair and glasses quickly stood up to greet them. Her eyes wide she shook a little as she said good morning to Scully and the two men in black suits as they walked her to another office without a keycard entrance.  
The office was large – but not oval – and had windows to her left looking out on a fountain in the middle of a small park. The agents stood by the open doors as Scully placed her bag on the desk and hung her coat up on the provided coat rack.  
“Are you two just going to stand there all day?” she asked them.  
As these agents weren’t as talkative as Randall, she took their silence as a yes and sat down in the leather chair, crossing her arms and wondering what the hell was she supposed to do next.  
“Ms. Scully.” The young lady who shook when she said good morning stood at the door between the two agents before Scully waved her in.  
“Please call me Dana.” She said thankful the young woman didn’t call her ma’am.  
The young lady nodded as she walked in and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Scully, placing the thick file folders in her hands on the desk before Scully, “These are the prospective candidates for White House Staff Secretary and Personal Secretary to the President. We’ve done our best to weed some out based on already completed background checks.”  
Scully smiled at the young mousey woman, “And what is your name?”  
“Oh!” she exclaimed embarrassed, “It’s Mary. Mary Johnston.”  
“Nice to meet you, Mary.” Scully replied taking the folders from her.  
“Is there anything you need? Coffee, tea, water?”  
“Water would be nice if you don’t mind.”  
“Not at all. That’s what I do here. I usually just temp for visiting diplomats and stuff, but you’re…you’re the President.” She said squealing a bit, “Sorry, that was far from professional.”  
“It’s ok, Mary.” Scully said opening one of the folders, “I may have squealed a bit myself.”  
Mary nodded, “I’ll be right back with your water.” She said passing by the two men.  
The first resume on the top of the pile was that of an Ashley Davis. Just out of college, Harvard, major in communications and attached was the photo of her as Miss Maryland. Scully didn’t want to completely discount the woman, but the fact a picture was included at all turned her off and she moved onto the next one.  
“Ashley didn’t make the cut I guess.” A male voice startled her a bit.  
Scully looked up to see a man, a tall man…much taller than Mulder…standing between the two chairs. Her heart skipped a bit, which she silently cursed it for doing, and she felt her mouth become dry as she looked up into his bright …oh so bright…jade green eyes.  
She didn’t need to be introduced as his face remained on her mind since she saw it on Heather’s phone last Christmas morning. Closing the folder, she waited for her heart to resume normal beating and she made sure she could talk before opening her mouth, “Alex Jackson I presume?”  
“Guilty!” he chuckled a bit as he held out his right hand, as she took it, she stood, noticing he was at least a good foot taller than her – with heals.  
“You’re…tall.” Scully stupidly said.  
“Six seven.” He replied, “Have to lean in when entering doorways.”  
“That must REALLY suck.” She said given she had to get on her tip toes to kiss her own husband.  
Alex smiled and looked around, “Looks like you got quickly acquainted. My office is next door so as soon as you’re ready to meet I’m available.”  
“Just looking for assistants. Need one?”  
“Not really. I took care of that on Monday, but then again I don’t need as many as you do.” He said then realized how it sounded, “Please don’t be offended, as that’s not how I meant to come off. I’m glad you won. I’m happy a woman FINALLY won.”  
“Well, technically I’m not the first. Electoral college and all.”  
“True, and I’m happy that’s been abolished as well as many other antiquated systems which were not working. I look forward to working with you, Dana.”  
“You too, Alex.”  
January 2, 2020 – 10:15AM EST  
After giving Melissa a much-needed shea and lavender bubble bath, Mulder dressed his daughter up in pink overalls which started to look a little too snug. Confused over the fact she had just worn the overalls last week, Mulder tried to just wave it off as a simple growth spurt as he carried her to the pink canopy bed and placed her on it in a sitting position as he went to retrieve the cute pink and white Mary Janes she also wore last week. She giggled as her father knelt before her, placing the right foot into the shoe but her face squished up when he tried to get the heel into it.  
“Seriously. You’ve worn these twice!” Mulder exhaled as he watched his daughter squirm in frustration.  
Tossing the shoes behind him, hitting the wall in the process, Mulder sighed and picked Melissa up from the bed and carried her out of the room and down the stairs where he ran into his son.  
“What’s wrong?” William asked judging by his sister’s flushed face that things were not ok.  
“When did your feet stop growing?” he asked his son as he adjusted the weight of his daughter on his hips.  
William shrugged, “I was a thirteen when I was about a size ten. Why?”  
Mulder took hold of Melissa’s right white sock covered foot with is left hand, “I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep her in shoes.”  
“Guess we’re going to the store.” William said, “Good thing, because I forgot to pack deodorant and Joy needs other…stuff.”  
Not needing an explanation on the ‘other stuff,’ Mulder simply nodded, “What’s her annoyance level?”  
“About a twelve.”  
“Maybe it’s best we get her what she needs and then leave her alone the rest of the day.”  
“Works for me.” William replied, “I’ll go get my coat.”  
William turned around to see the young woman sitting at the dining room table earlier now standing directly behind him, “Where do you need to go?” she asked Mulder as William slipped by her.  
“The …mall?” Mulder said honestly wondering if Tyson’s Corner even existed anymore.  
“Which mall?” She asked her arms crossed, “You do realize you can no longer just go…anywhere... without proper notice.”  
Mulder dug his upper teeth into his bottom lip as he looked at the little girl on his right hip, “My daughter needs shoes, and possibly more clothes.”  
“Did you not pack enough?” The woman asked in a very judgmental tone.  
“I packed plenty, but she seems to have had a growth spurt overnight.”  
“OH…” the woman nodded, “I remember now.”  
“Remember now.”  
“Remember what?”  
“Sir, we know all about your…family.”  
“Great.” Mulder sighed given the last thing he needed were people treating his family like…aliens.  
“No need to worry, only those who have been selected for permanent detail know. You need clothing for your daughter and she’s…three?”  
“One.” Mulder replied, “She’s just...big for her age.”  
The agent nodded, “Sorry, I knew that I just…anyway, there’s a Janie and Jack store at Tyson’s Corner Mall. I will radio in for a car to take you there.”  
Mulder nodded, “Fine.” He replied given he clearly didn’t have a say in the matter.  
“I heard the mall mentioned.” A very tired and obviously agitated Joy said as she joined in on the conversation.  
“We have to wait for a car to arrive as we apparently aren’t allowed to drive anywhere anymore.” Mulder said walking into the living area and sitting down on the pristine white couch, placing his shoeless daughter beside him.  
“Fun.” Joy replied flopping down in the easy chair directly to the right of the couch.  
“I wonder what they did with our cars.” Mulder wondered out loud.  
“They’ll be in storage, sir. Once the vehicles arrive at the storage facility we will give you the location’s address.” The agent added.

Mulder nodded as the thought of never having to drive again excited and scared him a bit, “Joy…” Mulder asked, his mind again focused on his child’s ever-growing feet, “When did your feet stop growing?”  
Taken aback by such a random question, Joy looked down at her grey and pink Nike’s and shrugged, “I think I’ve been an eight since I was ten.”  
“Fun.” Mulder replied.  
January 2, 2020 – 12:10PM EST  
As she stabbed into her Caesar salad – no dressing so it was basically romaine lettuce with a bit of parmesan cheese and croutons – Scully huffed at the lack of prospects in the piles of folders before her. She liked one woman, Jackie Westwood who received her bachelors from the same college as Scully, and was formerly the assistant to one of the now retired senators from Maryland. She was thirty-five, married to one of the Washington Nationals and had two teenage children. Aside from Jackie, Scully had a hard time narrowing anyone else down.  
Sucking hard on the straw in her iced tea, Scully wondered if she needed to go through the pile again as Mary knocked on the open door.  
“Ms. Scully, did you need anything before I step out for lunch?” She asked as she stood in the doorway, her grey wool coat over her arms.  
Scully found herself just staring at the young woman, there was just something about her that she liked, “Mary, can you sit down for a moment.”  
Mary nodded and entered the room, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Scully and staring at the next President of the United States she felt her heart began to race and she hoped to God she didn’t throw up in front of this woman.  
“How long have you worked here?” Scully asked.  
“Five years.” Mary replied, “Right out of high school.”  
Out of high school? Scully found herself shocked as this young woman seemed much other than twenty-three, “You’re twenty-three?” Scully had to ask out loud.  
“In March I will be.”  
“So, you never went to college?”  
Mary shook her head, “No, I didn’t have the chance.” She didn’t want to be too open about her life, but there was something about Dana that made her want to spill her guts, “My parents died in a car accident when I was three. My grandmother took me in and raised me on a secretary’s salary. We didn’t have much. She saved all she could to get me a used Camry when I turned sixteen. I took a few classes at NoVA – Northern Virginia Community College – after high school, but then my grandmother had a stroke and was transferred to an assisted living facility. I needed to make more money to pay for her care and was lucky enough to find this job. She died a few years ago, but they took a chance on me and I like meeting new people so I’ve stayed here.”  
Scully watched as the young woman talked about her life, and then looked again at the pile of resumes in front of her, “Do you have a passport?”  
Mary shook her head, “Aside from DC, I’ve never been out of Virginia.”  
Scully nodded and picked up the folder containing the resume and life history – no photo – of Jackie Westwood. Opening the folder, she looked again at Jackie’s resume and then back at the inexperienced but clearly eager to learn young woman before her.  
“I believe Jackie Westwood would be a perfect fit for the Staff Secretary.”  
Mary nodded, “It’s an important position. It’s often referred to as the nerve center of the White House.”  
“And, if you’re interested, I’d like you to be my personal secretary.”  
Thinking she was hearing things, Mary chuckled a bit, but then noticing the dead serious look on the woman before her, Mary realized she wasn’t joking. “You’re serious?”  
Scully nodded and smiled, “I’ve gone through every one of these files, TWICE, and aside from Jackie not one of them stands out. You, however, do. I’m not sure what it is exactly, maybe you remind me of myself at your age, I’m not quite sure, but what I do know is we need more people like you regardless of higher education. Those who will work hard to accomplish what needs to be done.”  
Her eyes welling up, Mary tried to wipe the tears away but her glasses got in the way. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Taking her glasses off, she wiped her eyes off on the back of her black wool sweater and blinked rapidly at the blurry future president sitting across from her, “I won’t let you down.”  
“I know. We will still have to do the necessary background checks, but I have a feeling we won’t find anything alarming.”  
“I’m a single woman with a cat and a dog living in her grandmother’s house. A wild night for me is takeout and Netflix.”  
Scully’s smile grew as she watched Mary put her glasses back on and take a very deep and much needed sigh, “You just made my day a lot easier.”  
Mary smiled as well, “You’ve made my life a lot better.”  
January 2, 2020 – 5:25PM  
For the rest of her day, Scully was able to focus on things other than secretaries. She called an overly excited Jackie Westwood at her home in Bethesda – coincidentally not far from where Scully had lived for a few years – and left a message with Marita that she needed to do a background check on Mary Johnston.  
When Scully left for the day, she gave Mary a hug and said she’d see her in the morning. The young woman left the office with an extra spring to her step and Scully felt happy for making that happen.  
She arrived to her temporary home in DC to the smell of pizza which instantly sent her salivating to the dining area, leaving her coat on the floor behind her as her husband greeted her with a just filled glass of merlot and pulled out the chair at the head of the table.  
“It’s like you read my mind.” She said picking up a piece of margarita pizza and taking a much-needed bite of its cheesy goodness.  
“Well, we do get alerts to your whereabouts.” Mulder said sitting down in the chair next to her and picking up his own slice.  
As the doughy comfort food slid down her throat, Scully turned to the young woman on the right side of the table rubbing her temples, “Are you ok, Joy?”  
“Time of the month.” William said as he popped open a Diet Coke and placed it in front of his fiancé, “She took a pill, but it made her throw up.”  
Given she was at the age where this should no longer be an issue, but it still “arrived” every few months, Scully looked around and noticed no secret service people were inside before getting up from the table, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a wine glass off the rack before pouring the merlot to the rim and walking back into the dining room, placing the glass next to Joy’s Diet Coke.  
“Scully…” Mulder questioned, even though he had allowed his son to drink beer on occasion, Joy was not their child.  
“She’s in pain, and sometimes it helps.”  
“She’s eighteen.” Mulder looked out the window to see two agents walking around the tennis court.  
“And she can vote, but not drink. It’s wine and she’s in a controlled environment. Would you rather have her suffer?”  
Mulder shook his head and took a sip from his own glass of wine and realized he was being hypocritical given he took more than a few shots from his dad’s liquor cabinet in high school.  
Joy opened her eyes to see the glass before her and looked up at Scully standing next to her, “It’s never been this bad.”  
“Just drink.” Scully said as she gently rubbed Joy’s upper back, “It may not be very presidential of me, but to quote a former President I DO feel your pain.”  
Joy gave a small nod and picked up the glass, drinking a bit as her face soured from the bitterness, but then took a larger sip before placing the glass back down.  
Scully sat back down in her own chair and picked up her slice of pizza, “I remember doctors recommending ibuprofen and a heating pad. Savages.” She said taking a large bite a she watched Joy’s eyes slowly open fully as she exhaled and turned to Scully, “The migraine is gone.”  
Scully nodded as she chewed, “Some people get migraines from red wine, but clearly you’re like me and it helps relieve the pain.”  
“Thank you.” Joy said as she picked up her pizza, “Seriously, I thought I was going to die.”  
“Welcome to womanhood.”  
January 3, 2020 – 9:15AM  
After watching his wife head off to her temporary office, Mulder pulled out the Graco jogging stroller he had purchased at Target the day before and got his little one dressed up for the January cold weather – in clothes that actually fit – and strapped her into the stroller before heading out for a morning run in his new neighborhood.  
With two secret service agents four feet behind him.  
The weather was chilly, sometimes the wind would smack him in the face when he least expected it, but with his air pods in and the Stones jamming about getting Satisfaction, Mulder almost forgot he had two people in matching black jogging suits trailing behind him.  
This was the part of his new life he wasn’t going to enjoy.  
He was tempted to try to lose them, but with a stroller and a thirty-pound child he felt it best not to take that risk and stopped at a light to exhale deeply and just try to forget they were even there.  
About five miles into his run, he stumbled upon a small, locally owned coffee shop where the smell of fresh baked croissants took over his senses. Turning to the two in sunglasses with wires in their ears, Mulder pulled out his air pods and looked at the tall man and woman, “Coffee, tea, my treat.”  
Their names were Michael and Sandra, but Mulder was to address him as Price and her as Martinez and given his own name preference, he couldn’t really challenge them.  
The shop was relatively busy for a Friday before ten am, and Mulder ordered a black coffee for himself, a green tea for Martinez and another black tea for Price along with a small bottle of apple juice for Melissa and a box of croissants as he knew there was no way he could only have one or live having not shared with a certain little lady.  
Taking a table at the back of the café, Mulder was told to sit facing the door, so the agents could watch the door. Even though there was no way anyone from Adam would even know him here, Mulder did as instructed and picked Melissa up out of the stroller parked next to him and placed her on his lap keeping one hand on the bottle of juice as she held it with her two tiny hands and pulled it up to her mouth to drink. Mulder make a mental note to himself to bring a sippy cup next time.  
The one-year old’s attempt to drink out of the wide mouth bottle failed as most went down her chin, causing her to cry a bit as her father wiped the cold beverage off her face, neck, and pink jacket. The agents kept their eyes on the door as their father tried to get the child to calm down, but their eyes turned downwards as they noticed a woman’s head turn from the table behind Mulder as she leaned back to get a better look.  
“Fox?” The woman said with a British accent.  
Mulder froze with the pile of napkins in his hand as Melissa’s cries turned to a bit of a whimper at the sound of a voice, he hadn’t heard in over twenty years, but instantly sent a cold shock down his spine.  
Martinez looked at the woman, “Do we have an issue, sir?” she directed at Mulder.  
Yeah, we do, Mulder thought to himself, but that was the last thing he wanted or needed the agents to know. “No.” Mulder said placing the napkins on the table before adjusting his daughter on his lap and taking a moment to compose himself before turning his head and greeting the woman behind him.  
“Hi Phoebe.”  
She was older, naturally as one would expect, but why was she here?  
“This is amazing!” Phoebe said getting up from her table and quickly sitting next to Mulder, all the while not knowing two secret service agents had their hands on the grip of their guns. “That I would just run into you!”  
“You have no idea.” Mulder replied pulling a croissant out of his bag and tearing off a bit before handing to Melissa who happily took it from him and shoved it in her hungry mouth.  
“Oh, she’s absolutely precious! Granddaughter?” Phoebe said in the non-judgmental way, but the tone of voice he expected when people saw him out with his one-year old daughter.  
Mulder sighed and handed Melissa another piece of croissant, “Daughter.” He said simply noticing the female agent smirking. “Just, God’s little miracle.” He said using his wife’s answer when people made such assumptions.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend…given our ages.” Phoebe looked closely at the young child as she slowly chewed on the soft and flakey bread, “I also just assumed you were with that partner I met the last time we were together. Denise was it?”  
“Dana.” Mulder replied knowing exactly what she was up to, “Her name is Dana and she just happens to be this country’s next president.”  
“Ah yes, I do recall reading that somewhere. Elected by mail in voting after a terrorist attack killed millions of people.”  
Mulder watched the eyes of the agents before him at Phoebe’s accusation, “It was never proven to be a terrorist attack.”  
“Well, that’s how they were reporting it in England. Millions of Americans as well as the entire government.”  
“Not all of the government.” Mulder replied given how many senators and congressmen were ordered to resign so the country could start off with a clean slate free of people beholden to super PACs.  
“I know it’s rude to ask a woman her age, but she had to be at least thirty when I met her…which would make her now…”  
“Stop.” Mulder said staring directly at Phoebe, “Her age is not a factor.” He replied adjusting Melissa on his lap, “God’s little miracle.”  
“Fine.” Phoebe said as she could tell the subject was aggravating her former lover, she then looked to the two across from them, “Secret service?”  
Mulder nodded, “My shadows.”  
“Ah yes. Well, it seems as if we will be neighbors. My husband is a diplomat and we just moved into a nice brownstone not far from here. I was told by one of our neighbors this little café had the best English breakfast tea on this side of the pond, and I must say…” She said taking a sip, “It does not disappoint.”  
“Just you and your husband? No children?” Mulder asked given when they were dating they never mentioned children.  
“Yes. Our son Caleb is at Oxford. Finishing his senior year even though he still doesn’t know what he wants to do for a living.”  
“What’s his major?”  
“Philosophy.” Phoebe replied with a deep sigh, “Thankfully I married well.” She said looking again at Melissa, “And you? Or is this little ‘miracle’ the only other Mulder out there?”  
The way she put it bothered him on a level he couldn’t really define, but instead of thinking too much about it he simply shook his head, “A son, he’s eighteen.”  
“Oh, well it’s good to know you got one raised before your sixties hit.”  
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, all Mulder could do was nod, “However you see it.”  
An alarm went off on Phoebe’s phone and she jumped a little as she pulled it out of her jacket pocket. “Oh, damn, I forgot I have an appointment in fifteen minutes. I must get going, but please…” she said taking her wallet out of her bag and pulling out a card, which she the handed to Mulder, “We must get together for dinner. My husband can meet your wife, that is if it’s allowed.” She snickered a little before blowing a kiss at Mulder and dropping her paper cup in the trash before leaving the café.  
Mulder looked at the card, “Phoebe Green McNichols. Interior designer.” Just saying it out loud sounded bizarre, “Guess she had enough of Scotland Yard.”  
Looking at the two agents across from him, Mulder deeply sighed, “You don’t talk much do you?”  
“Only when necessary.” Martinez replied before taking a sip of her tea.  
“It’s going to be a great four years.”  
January 3rd, 2020 – 7:30PM - Crowthorne, England.  
After two missed flights, three delays due to weather, Marita found her unwashed and sleep deprived body slamming through the glass doors of Broadmoor Hospital like Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment. The call came at little past eleven pm nearly two days earlier, and what is usually a simple ten-hour flight to the UK turned into over forty hours of hell as she rushed to get to England.  
“Alexandria Covarrubias.” Marita blurted out to the woman at the night nurse desk.  
The young and clearly tired woman stared up at the equally tired Marita and replied, “Excuse me?”  
“Alexandria Covarrubias!” She repeated in a much louder tone, “I was told she was admitted two days ago.”  
The nurse with the name tag Betty, nodded and typed something into the computer before her, “Oh.”  
“What?” Marita replied with bated breath terrified of the answer.  
“Ma’am, she’s on forty-eight hour hold.”  
“What does that even mean?”  
“She cannot have visitors.”  
Whatever strength was left of Marita was dissolved when the airline ran out of red wine, “Look, Betty, it’s taken me two days to get here. I’m tired, I’m…filthy…you are talking about my child. I have a right to see her.”  
Betty looked at the computer, “Yes, ma’am, but as she is a student of Wellington College, she is under their care and it was the school administrator who released her to us.”  
“I’m her mother.”  
“Yes, I’m aware of that, but you daughter had a serious psychotic episode and she cannot have visitors until we know she is not a danger to herself or others. Now, the hold will be lifted in a little under three hours. Why don’t you find a hotel and then come back after ten?”  
“Do you honestly think I can sit in hotel room while my daughter is chained to a bed?”  
“I’m sorry, ma’am, it’s all we can do.”  
Pushing herself away from the glass separating her from young Betty, Marita stepped back and composed herself, “I will be back.”  
“Yes, ma’am.”  
Pulling out her phone to see fifty missed calls and twice as many texts, Marita clicked on the Uber app to find yet ANOTHER ride, and then on another to find the closest hotel.  
After checking in at the small inn where she hoped her time would be limited given how much actual work she had to do in the states, her phone went off again – the same number as had called at least forty times previously – and she decided to simply turn it off. There was no way she could focus on anything but her daughter. Her beautiful and highly troubled little girl whom she had to wait two hours and fifteen minutes to see.  
A long shower seemed to help pass the time a bit, as she didn’t bring any other clothing after getting the call from the school that her daughter had broken a mirror in the women’s bathroom and then proceeded to slit her wrists and neck. If another student hadn’t found her so quickly the phone call would have been much different, and sadly one that Marita had been expecting for the last five years.  
Alexandria Irina Covarrubias born January 18, 2002 was the most beautiful baby Marita had ever seen – not that she had much experience with babies. As it was, finding out she was pregnant was a shock in and of itself given everything that had been done to her, but the stick turned blue, and seven months later this perfect little being was brought into the world. Given her child’s father had disappeared without a trace months after she was conceived, Marita feared for her daughter’s life and knew in order to protect her only child she would have to come out of hiding and seek the assistance of a man she had once thought long dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs.  
Allie was only four months old when Marita returned to DC, with her bright blue eyes and blonde hair people told Marita to get her daughter into modeling, but as the years passed she was thankful she didn’t add anything to the burden this young child was already facing.  
When she was thirteen, she was diagnosed with bipolar depression, at the same time Marita was ordered to move to Crowthorne to help with operations in the UK. As she didn’t have the time to make sure Allie took her medication – one slip meant suicidal thoughts or episodes were possible – Marita enrolled her daughter at Wellington College, a boarding school for children between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. For the first few years, Allie thrived at the school; receiving high marks in every class and was incredibly popular. In 2016, only a year after her assignment in England, Marita was again ordered to move, this time back to the states as a professor at Princeton. Doing as she was instructed, Marita left Allie in the capable hands of Wellington College. She and her daughter spoke almost daily, but as the months progressed, the communication began to stop and by her fifteenth birthday, Marita had to return to Crowthorne after Allie overdosed on a bottle of Percocet. Many more tests followed and her daughter was given a new diagnosis of schizophrenia. She was only sixteen.  
More medications followed as Allies grades began to drop and the friends, she talked about constantly, were no longer even a mention in her emails to her mother. The guilt of leaving her child with strangers gnawed at her, but Marita knew it was the only way to keep her daughter safe…and now…she wasn’t sure what to do.  
“She’s lucid.” Dr. Trapper told Marita as she followed him to the room where her daughter had been admitted, “And we’ve removed the restraints, but she’s also highly medicated so she may not understand you.”  
When they got to the door, the older British man took a deep sigh and rested his hand on the handle, “Miss, your daughter is incredibly ill and after this episode she is no longer welcomed at Wellington.”  
“I feared as much.” Marita replied.  
“The other issue being she will turn eighteen in few weeks and unless you have her committed, she will be free to make her own choices.”  
Marita nodded, “Yes, I’m aware. Please, I need to see her.”  
The doctor nodded and opened the door, “There’s a panic button the wall and by the bed. If you need assistance just hit it. Orderlies can be here in seconds.”  
Even though she knew she wouldn’t need it, Marita simply nodded and walked into the dark room where she could see the back of a young woman with long blonde hair standing by the window.  
“They’re double paned and unbreakable.” Dr. Trapper said softly before closing the door leaving Marita alone with her daughter.  
“Allie?” Marita said to the dark figure before her.  
The young woman turned slowly away from the window, in the moonlight Marita could make out the bandage on her neck, “Mom?” she said softly with a hint of a British accent, which wasn’t surprising given how long she had lived in England.  
Marita nodded as she slowly approached her daughter, taking her hands in hers to see the bandages around both wrists, “Allie, why?”  
“He told me to.” Allie replied softly.  
“Who?” Marita asked looking up at her nearly six-foot-tall child, “Who told you to do this?” she said her blood boiling at the thought of some monster telling her child to take her own life.  
“Dad.” She said in a very calm and direct manner, “He said he missed me.”  
“Allie, you father died before you were born. I told you that.”  
“I know, but he came to me and told me he missed me.”  
“And you took that as a message to kill yourself?”  
Allie’s head slowly moved up and down, “How else was I going to see him?”  
Marita’s love affair with Alex Krycek was short and sweet…but also incredibly hot and satisfying. She was almost certain her daughter was conceived in the back of a rented Ford Taurus after tracking down a Super Soldier in Ukraine; a month later, Alex was never heard from again.  
The young woman was thin, too thin, “When did you last eat?” she asked her child looking at how the hospital gown just hung on her.  
Allie shrugged, “I don’t remember.”  
She wasn’t allowed to go back to school, and in two weeks she was free to do whatever her dead father told her to unless she was committed which Marita had no interest in doing. All Marita hoped was that she would make it to the end of the school year without any issues, but sadly new plans would have to be made.  
“Allie, you can’t go back to school.”  
Unsure if she completely understood her, Allie nodded to her mother.  
“I’ll have someone send for your things.”  
Allie continued to nod in slow motion.  
“For now, I’m taking you home. With me.”  
As the nodding continued, Marita held her right hand with her left as she pulled her phone out of her bag and turned it back on, the screen altering her to four more missed calls. Given there was no way she was going back commercially, Marita pressed the call button on one of the forty-four missed calls.  
“Yes, I know…family emergency…” she said to the man on the other end, “I need a favor. I need a private plane from Heathrow to DC. Yes, my daughter is ill and we desperately need your help.”  
January 4th, 2020 – 2:22AM  
His eyes bolting open as if being shocked, William stared up at the ceiling above him and took a deep breath. After taking a moment to regulate his heartbeat, his gaze slowly moved to his left to the face of the woman sleeping softly next to him.  
Every now and then, memories of his previous life would hit, and fear that those he was running from over a year ago were still out there would make him question he – and his families – safety.  
Getting out of the warm bed, wearing only a pair of red flannel pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt, William walked to one of the bedroom windows and looked out at the courtyard. Four secret service agents were pacing the tennis court and as much as he should have felt safe, that constant fear nagged at him.  
“Come back to bed.” A groggy Joy said from the bed as she rolled over onto her left side watching William as he stared out the window.  
“Just go back to sleep.” He replied as his eyes stayed on an agent as she paced by one of the fences.  
“What’s wrong?” Joy asked sitting up and looking at the clock on the night table next to her, “It’s two thirty.”  
“Like it matters.” William mumbled to himself as the sound of a baby crying above them and footsteps following distracted them for a moment.  
“She rarely cries.” Joy said looking up at the ceiling.  
“Well, maybe she realized how much her life is about to suck.” William replied taking a deep breath, “This feels wrong.”  
“What does?” Joy said, her right index finger and thumb instantly going to the ring on her left hand.  
“This. All of this.” He said looking directly at her, “Doesn’t it just feel a bit too convenient?”  
“Are you implying your mother didn’t deserve to win?”  
“Of course not.” He said looking back out the window, “More so that she did win.” He added, “They wanted her to win, so …she did.”  
“Do you think it was rigged?”  
“I don’t know.” William sighed, “In all honesty, nothing has felt right for a very long time…not since I was even aware of my birth mother’s existence.”  
“But if you didn’t find her, we wouldn’t have found each other…” Joy replied as tears filled her eyes, “What’s going on with you?”  
“I wish I knew.” He said closing his eyes and sighing, “For the longest time I questioned my existence, why I was even here…when the visions started last year I thought I had an answer, but all I could see was my birth mother and another man who I assumed was my father hell bent on destroying the world. Then I met another man who said he was my father and there was something familiar about him that I couldn’t place my finger on…so much so I could pretend I was him to fake my own death.” William opened his eyes and looked down at the young woman in the bed, “I thought then that I was free…that I could escape everything and everyone.” He said as a much louder scream from above could be heard, “Until she was born. I thought I was just a scientific experiment. That aside from the basic DNA I had no true mother and father, but she brought me to them. To my true birth parents….and over a year later here we are.”  
“I know it’s late, but you’re still not making sense.” Joy said getting out of the bed to speak face to face to the man she had given her heart to, “What does your sister have to do with any of this?”  
“Maybe she’s proof I was never an experiment. That everything I was made to believe was a lie and given I can feel everything she’s feeling that she may be the one in danger now.”  
“You know why she’s crying?”  
“I feel her fear….but not what she’s afraid of. Clearly she doesn’t know how to communicate with me as of yet, but I know she’s in pain.”  
The crying began to sound closer just as there was a knock on the bedroom door.  
“William!” his mother cried out from behind the door, “Please tell me you’re awake.”  
William nodded to Joy before walking to the door and opening it, seeing his red faced sister in his mother’s exhausted arms and quickly scooping her up into his as the crying began to slow and eventually the young child fell asleep in her older brother’s arms.  
Scully took a much needed sigh of relief and whispered a thank you to her son.  
“See.” William said as Joy joined him by the door, looking down at Melissa sound asleep in his arms, “Something scared her.”  
“Do you know what exactly?” His mother asked.  
“No.” William replied, “Maybe she just had a bad dream.”  
“Would you mind terribly if she stayed with you two tonight?” Scully asked, “I really need to get some sleep and I’m afraid if I take her back to bed she’ll just cry again.”  
“It’s fine.” William replied walking back to the bed and placing his sister between their two pillows, “I know we won’t roll over on her.”  
Joy nodded reassuringly to Scully, “We won’t.”  
“Thank you.” Scully sighed before nodding and heading back to bed.  
“You’re sure we won’t roll over on her?” Joy asked as she got into the king sized bed with the little one between the two large pillows.  
“I know.” William replied as he closed the door and returned to the bed as well, “Because I’m not going back to sleep.”  
Scully returned to the master suite to find her husband sitting up in bed, “Did she get back to sleep?” he asked clearly awakened by the child’s screams as well.  
“Once she was in William’s arms.” Scully said as she crawled back into the warm bed, “He said he’d watch her the rest of the night.”  
“That’s a good brother.”  
Scully nodded as she yawned and rubbed her neck, “I must have pulled something rushing to get her.”  
“On it.” Mulder replied as he instructed his wife to turn her back to him as he began to massage her neck and shoulders.  
Her eyes closing as she felt her muscles relax, the soft moans that escaped her lips went directly to another part of her husband’s anatomy and he had to stop for a moment.  
“Why’d you stop?” she asked in a pitiful and wanting tone.  
“You know why.” He replied softly as his hand slowly moved down her back, stopping at her waist.  
“It’s nearly three am.”  
“And a guaranteed way to get back to sleep.” He replied.  
As it had been some time since they were intimate, Scully nodded slowly and turned – her neck no longer aching – to face her husband, “It has been a while.”  
Nodding, Mulder’s hands firmly gripped her waist, “Very much so.”  
Her fingers taking hold of the pearl white button on the bottom of her flannel red pajama top, Scully slowly removed it from its eye, then with her eyes fixed on the man before her she moved onto the second and third as she could feel his heartbeat racing. The fact she could still do this to him after so many years was an aphrodisiac in and of itself as she got to the last button and felt the cold air hit her bare breasts.  
Unable to control himself any longer, Mulder pulled his wife into a lying position, his lips on hers like fire as his hands worked to remove her pajama bottoms and her hands focused on doing the same with his.

January 4th, 2020 – 3:15AM  
Her feet stepping on a discarded Duplo brick in the hallway, Casey bit her tongue as she wanted to scream, then hobbled down the stairs to where a light from a computer screen was calling to her like a beacon.  
Walking into her husband’s office, she saw on the thirty-two inch screen a man and woman in green light clearly making love.  
“If you want to watch porn you can do it on the computer in our room.” Casey said as her arms crossed over her five-month pregnant belly.  
“It’s not porn.” Ben replied as he typed something on his laptop.  
Walking closer to the screen, Casey’s eyes widened once she got a good look at the woman on the screen, “THAT’S DANA!”  
“SHUSH! Keep your voice down or you’ll wake up the kids.” Ben said as he continued typing a mile a minute on the laptop.  
“Why are you watching Dana have sex?” Casey asked her eyes fixated on the screen, “That’s a new move…” she said before realizing who she was watching and closed her eyes, “How and WHY?”  
“It’s my job.” Ben replied. “As ridiculous as it may sound.”  
“You work for the United Nations. What does being a political affairs officer have to do with watching people, most importantly the next President, have sex?”  
“Ask my father.” He said closing the notebook and turning off the screen. “Go back to bed.”  
“No.” Casey replied sitting down on the desk in front of her husband, “What is this? Are there camera’s in their bedroom?”  
“Six.” He replied, “In every room including the bathroom – which only has four – wait till you see how many are in the White House.”  
“But why? This is an insane invasion of privacy.”  
“I know.” Ben sighed, “I don’t WATCH. I just…note.”  
“Note?”  
“Just…note. Three am, subjects become intimate.”  
“I just don’t see how this is a Chief of Staff responsibility.”  
“It isn’t, but my apparently it’s part of my job to note everything she does even before being sworn in.” Ben sighed, “You already hate it here. I can tell.”  
Casey looked around the office of the six bedroom home in Logan Circle, less than two miles from The White House, “I don’t hate it…but it’s a lot louder than Connecticut.”  
“But you got a great job as a pre-kindergarten teacher at Seaton, just down the street. You can walk the kids there every day.”  
Casey nodded, “I know..” she said as she placed her hands on her belly, “I guess I’m just worried.”  
“About what?”  
“I don’t know.” Casey sighed, then shrugged, “Everything. I’m worried for Dana, for us…for the country.”  
“Everything is going to be fine.” Ben said standing up and placing his hands on his wife’s shoulders, “We’ve got this covered. Dana will make a great President, and the citizens of this country will be grateful that the right person was chosen to lead it.”  
“Because you, Marita and Jefferson will help her.”  
Ben nodded, “Speaking of which, Jefferson got in late last night. Apparently there was some emergency in England he had to attend to. He’s excited to meet with Dana. Said she’d be surprised to see him.”  
“Does he know her?”  
“From a long time ago apparently. Then there’s Colette the Press Secretary. She knows NINE languages.”  
“Is she like us?”  
“Of course she is.” Ben replied, “The only ones we’ve allowed Dana to choose herself are the personal secretary and staff secretary. Colette was one of the first children born from manipulated ova to survive. She’s only twenty-four, but graduated with a master’s in sociology from Georgetown when she was seventeen.”  
“What’s she done before now?”  
“Traveled the world. She said she was extremely happy to come home and set up roots. She bought a condo a few blocks away. Jefferson scheduled a get together for everyone this weekend at the City Club of Washington. The club is closed to everyone who isn’t a White House employee. We’ll be going over the prospective house of representatives and senators from each state.”  
“Sounds …fun.” Casey replied unenthusiastically.  
“Well, the kids will be going to a place called The Magic Ground. It’s like an indoor theme park where I’m sure you will have a lot more fun.”  
Casey nodded, “I better get back to bed then if I have a lot of Magic Ground fun to look forward to in a few hours.”  
“It’s for the best, Casey. All of this is.”  
“I know.” Casey replied, “I know you wouldn’t lie to me.”  
January 5th, 2020 – 10:25AM  
Saturdays were no longer the weekend in Scully’s new life. Finding the perfect outfit to wear for a meeting she was only aware of the day before, she suddenly hated everything in her closet. William and Joy decided to take Melissa to the Children’s Museum - accompanied by two agents – and Mulder was looking forward to a day of watching whatever sports happened to be playing.  
“Nope.” Scully said in her pinstripe blazer and black pants as she grabbed the remote out of his hand, “You’re coming.”  
“You said White House employees only.” Mulder replied attempting to snatch it back from her without actually sitting up in bed.  
“And SPOUSES.” She replied walking into the closet and grabbing a grey dress shirt and tie.  
“I haven’t worn a tie since our second wedding.” He said looking at black tie with grey stripes. “I think it was this tie!”  
“You said you’d be by my side, and now I NEED you to be by my side.”  
Mulder nodded, “Fine. I’ll take a quick shower and get ready.”  
“We need to be there by noon.”  
“That’s plenty of time.” He replied before rolling out of the bed and walking into the bathroom.  
William had spent the morning programming his mother’s new phone with all her contacts and handing it off to her as Joy zipped up Melissa’s winter coat as she sat on the kitchen counter.  
“Password is mine and dad’s birthdays.” He said handing it to her, “You can change it if you want, but longer passwords are more secure.”  
“I thought I could just use my face to unlock it.” Scully replied as the wallpaper had also been changed to a family photo taken at the Hawaii wedding, “I’d never seen this photo!”  
“I took it.” Joy said as she picked Melissa up from the counter, “Almost forgot I had it.”  
“It’s beautiful. I’ll need a copy for my desk.”  
Joy nodded, “On it.”  
“Thank you.” Scully replied looking at the photo one last time before placing the phone in her bag.  
“You need your face and your password to unlock the phone.” William said getting back to the subject at hand, “I added all the names and numbers you gave me. If you get more today, just jot them down the old fashioned way till I have time to show you how to add them.”  
Scully nodded as she checked her watch, “Well, the water stopped running.”  
“How long is this meeting?” Joy asked placing Melissa in her stroller.  
“It’s scheduled to six, then tomorrow…” she sighed as she looked up at the sound of footsteps above her, “We’re all attending church services.”  
“All of us?” William asked.  
Scully nodded and pointed to the ceiling, “All. Of. Us.”  
“When are you going to break it to him?” Joy asked as she hadn’t attended a church service since…never.  
“Tonight, after a few cocktails and other events you don’t need to know about.”  
“Point taken.” William replied slapping his hands together and looking at Joy, “Shall we?”  
Joy smiled as she pushed the stroller towards the door where two agents were waiting to drive them to the museum.  
About ten minutes after William, Joy and Melissa left, Mulder came bounding down the stairs in his slacks, grey shirt and tie, while holding his blazer, “Am I dressed appropriately m’lady?”  
Scully smiled at his wit as she ran her hands through his still damp hair, “You’re going to catch a cold.”  
“No, I’m not.” He smiled pulling on the jacket, “Am I country club material?”  
“Yes, yes you are.”

Aware they were always being watched, Scully turned to the two agents who accompanied her to the office every day, “We’re ready.”  
The tall black man nodded, “The car will be here in a moment.”  
Scully nodded and turned back to the man in front of her, “You have to admit, it’s nice being waited on.”  
“It does have its advantages.” Mulder replied as he tightened his tie.  
January 5th, 2020 – 12:10 PM  
Scully and Mulder arrived at the Country Club of Washington DC a little before noon, a woman was walking around with red and white wine and Mulder couldn’t help but grab a glass of red to keep his mind from imploding. The crowd was small, there was Ben without his other half, Marita who had no other half that Mulder knew of but seemed to be off in her own world as she stepped away constantly with her phone, an attractive black woman Mulder didn’t know with a man he recognized but couldn’t place, a young woman who adjusted her glasses as she drank her white wine and stood by the wall, and a very tall woman with jet black hair down to the middle of her back who tapped her red wine glass and played with her hair as she talked to Ben.  
“Stop staring.” Scully said noticing exactly where his eyes were.  
“I don’t know half these people.” Mulder replied softly looking down at his wife, “Seriously, who is the Megan Fox looking woman?”  
“Her name is Colette Boucher. She speaks NINE languages. Seriously, test her. French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Mandarin…”  
“No English?”  
“Of course she knows English.” Scully said taking a small sip, “She is breathtaking.”  
“How old?” Mulder asked.  
“Twenty-four.” Scully said taking a larger sip, “So, stop staring.”  
“And what is her position in your administration?”  
“Press Secretary.”  
“Good. She’ll make them listen.”  
Sighing heavily, Scully looked at Colette one last time before looking back at her husband, “You know it physically hurts when you look at other women like that.”  
“Like what?”  
“Like you used to look at me.”  
Mulder closed his eyes and shook his head before opening them and looking down at the woman in front of him, “I’m just looking. It means nothing.”

Scully nodded, “Fine.” She said finishing her glass and walking towards Colette before turning back to her husband, “And morning mass tomorrow. Seven am sharp.”  
“What?” Mulder groaned as Scully waved at him.  
“So, you’re the First Husband.” A male voice said behind Mulder as he was grabbing a finger sandwich of cucumber on bread.  
Mulder turned around to see the man he had recognized with Jackie Westwood but couldn’t place, “Fox Mulder.” He said putting out his hand which the other man gripped firmly.  
“Brandon Westwood.” He smiled down at Mulder from a good two inches.  
“Brandon Westwood…” Mulder pondered till it came to him, “First base number seventeen.”  
Brandon’s smile remained as he nodded, “We almost made it to the playoffs.”  
“Maybe next year.” Mulder replied, “And you’re married to Jackie?”  
Brandon nodded, “She’s been on cloud nine since she got the news. The senator she worked for since 2000 up and retired last year. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself.”  
“According to Scully, she was a perfect fit.” He said as he watched Scully, Jackie and Colette talking and laughing.  
“You call your wife by her last name?” Brandon asked confused.  
Mulder nodded, “It’s just a thing we do.”  
“And she calls you…Mulder?”  
Mulder nodded, “I’m only called Fox if I’m in trouble.”  
Brandon looked at the older man quizzically before nodding, “Whatever works for you. I’m sure if I called Jackie ‘Marshall’ I’d get a good slap to the face.”  
“Like I said, it’s just a thing we do.” Mulder said taking a bite of his finger sandwich, “So, any other spouses here?”  
“Not that I’ve seen, but there is a bar downstairs.”  
“You read my mind.”  
January 5th, 2020 – 2:00 PM  
After a couple hours of drinking and socializing, the now incredibly paired down coalition sat down to go over the congressional make up. With their laptops open to the password secured spreadsheets, Scully looked at the words and numbers before her with a pain in her heart she had never yet experienced.  
“In 2019, the population of The United States of America was counted at three hundred twenty seven million, five hundred and ninety-four thousand and seven-hundred and ninety-five. Now, if you will please open the tab labeled 2020 you will see that the current population of The United States of America is seven-million, one hundred and one thousand, eight-hundred and ninety-eight.” Ben read aloud to the table of eight people.  
Scully, Ben, Marita, Colette and four others Scully had never met before today sat at the boardroom table in the private meeting room of Washington Country Clubs looking at their laptops.  
The four new members of the collation included:  
James Pitchfield, fifty-three and the CEO of one of the largest green manufacturing companies in the country and world. He was currently working on creating edible paper which would reduce fast food waste by at least ninety-five percent.  
Kalida Morales, the first scientist in her family who immigrated to the United States from Mexico when she was five years old. Katrina graduated from MIT when she was fifteen and started working for ECO America before her eighteenth birthday. Her home in Cascades, Virginia was completely solar power generated as well as owning a Tesla, her goal was to create eco-friendly products that every day American’s could afford.  
Richard Branson – no, not that one – Richard founded Mother Earth a company specializing on clothing made of natural, eco-friendly & sustainable fabrics – including hemp, Tencel and organic cotton - and recycled materials whenever possible.  
Cynthia Davis, a ‘celebrity chef’ specializing in vegan dishes for children. While she and Scully chatted over artichoke dip she stated that if one person stopped eating meat, it would have the same impact as not driving three-thousand miles. Just one plant-based meal a day would save two-hundred thousand gallons of water. Scully made sure to get her contact information.  
The four new people didn’t have specific roles as of yet in the administration, as all cabinet positions need to be approved by congress, but Scully could definitely see these four easily filling some of the option positions. Specifically, Department of Energy, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture. James would be perfect for the EPA even though it wasn’t technically a cabinet position. Being around such knowledgeable people who were committed to helping this country – and the planet – made Scully feel less overwhelmed, but now, as she stared at the numbers on the screen the memories of what had happened over six months earlier came back.  
“Previously…” Ben continued on with his presentation, “There were two senators from each state and one representative per roughly seven-hundred thousand citizens. California had fifty-three house seats with district lines drawn to evenly represent the state population. Now, if you’ll turn to the California tab, you will see the with a population of now only one point three million people, we have determined that twenty-six house members are needed to represent roughly fifty-thousand voters.”  
Scully looked at how evenly the lines were drawn with Los Angeles county alone covering ten districts.  
“Now, the lowest populated state – Wyoming – now has a census count of a little under six-thousand citizens, but as every state deserves representation they will have one house seat and one senate seat. There is a tab for each state which we will go over before we introduce you to the video presentations for each perspective candidate. Hope you all filled up on lunch because we have over six-hundred to go through.”  
January 5th, 2020 – 4:15 PM  
Within an hour, Mulder had made fast friends with Brandon over beer and bar pizza. His wife Jackie, and Scully new assistant Mary joined them a little after two and by four the shy woman with thick glasses had come out of her shell. Three vodka cranberries helped as well. They talked about their life, their kids – pictures were shared – and by the time his wife had wrapped her arms around his neck he was thankful that time had flown by.  
“I see you’ve all welcomed Mary.” Scully said as she sat on her husband’s lap - as the table only had four chairs – and rested her head on his.  
“You made a wise choice in picking her.” Jackie remarked as she picked up her vodka tonic, “She types ninety-words a minute!” she snorted a bit.  
Mary smiled and shook her head a bit, “I may have over-estimated.”  
Watching the timid girl clearly try to crawl back into her imaginary shell bothered Scully a bit and did almost make her question choosing Jackie, but given alcohol was a factor she would give her the benefit of the doubt and make a mental note to herself to help Mary become more self-assured.  
“Are you done?” Mulder asked looking up at the little woman on his lap, “Please say yes, please say yes.”  
Scully shook her head, “Sadly, no. We’ve only gone through forty, three minute video presentations. It’s like being stuck in Tik-Tok hell. I’m not going to remember all these people and as it is I can really only vote for the ones in Colorado.”  
“How many are there?” Mulder asked.  
“Six-hundred and eighty-two.”  
“Three minutes?” Mary said, “That will take thirty four hours.”  
“Look! She can also do math at ninety-words a minute!” Jackie snorted.  
“Stop it.” Brandon directed to his wife.  
“It’s impossible.” Scully sighed, looking down at her husband, “I may make a plea with Ben to maybe not watch Jason Carson from Hampstead, North Carolina explain why he’d be a great senator.”  
“And why would he?” Mulder asked curious.  
Scully shook her head, “I honestly forgot.” She sighed and looked at the three people before her, “You can all go home. Honestly, you could have gone home hours ago.”  
“Me?” Mulder asked.  
“Nope. You’re stuck.” She said as her phone dinged, “Break over.” Scully got up from her husband’s lap, “I’ll see you on Monday, Mary.”  
Mary smiled and nodded as Scully said goodnight to Jackie and Brandon and headed back to the dreaded boardroom.  
January 5th, 2020 – 6:00 PM  
After forty more three minute videos of every day Americans who were weeded out of hundreds to be on the ballot to represent their state, every single person at the table was tired and bored. Realizing this might have not been the best use of everyone’s time, Ben advised everyone that each candidate’s video would be on the website for the state and if people wanted to search that out they could. Each ballot would contain the same synopsis for each candidate just like the Presidential election. All paper ballots and no winner would be determined until every last vote was counted.  
Scully found her husband, staring blankly at a Washington Capitals came on the TV in the bar. Still, in the same chair she had left him in.  
“Whose winning?” she asked him sitting down in the chair previously occupied by Mary, the two agents she had gotten used to ignoring standing behind her.  
“The team with the most points? I take it you didn’t get through all six hundred.” Mulder said sitting up and straightening his previously loosened tie.  
“No, but I will take the effort to look at the six candidates for Colorado.”  
“That’s all that should be asked of you.” He replied, a small yawn escaping his lips, “Let’s go home, or to whatever this new home is.”

January 6th, 2020 – 8:15 AM  
The St. Ann Catholic Church was a seven minute drive from their temporary housing in DC. Scully found a unique way of awakening her husband before dawn and then joined him in the shower before putting on their Sunday best and heading to church.  
Not baptizing Melissa was a personal choice Scully had made. Her Godparents were wonderful people who passed away while she was in high school, but given the lack of religious affiliation of her husband and wanting her daughter to choose her own path she decided it best not to go through with such a ceremony.  
But now, as she sat in the third pew, sitting between her husband and son, her one year old daughter wearing an elegant white dress, she now wished she had taken it upon herself welcome God into her child’s life.  
Respecting her wishes, Mulder read along as the priest delivered his morning prayers. From Sirach 27:30, to Romans 14:7, not once did he scoff or make a snarky comment. As she did not attend confession the night before, they left before communion in respect to the church and the other parishioners. After mass, they were driven to Chef Geoff’s for a much needed brunch. As they needed to notify the restaurant a day in advance, they were seated in the back where the agents could keep an eye on the door, but the family could also have their privacy.  
“I’d like to thank you all.” Scully said after they had ordered, “For…humoring me...this morning. You all behaved…she said looking at her husband…like adults and I appreciate it. Greatly.”  
“Is this going to be a weekly thing?” William asked generally curious and sadly knowing the answer.  
Scully nodded, “In terms of optics, yes. It’s also a good thing neither of us care for golf. I’m looking at charity work we can spend the weekends doing.”  
“A LONG four years.” Mulder groaned.  
“I’d never been to church before.” Joy noted, “It was nice. Positive.”  
“Every Sunday?” Mulder whimpered a bit.  
“Yes, one hour out of your life every Sunday. You’ll live.” Scully replied in a tone that showed him she was irritated and if he continued to act this way she wouldn’t awaken him next Sunday the way she had today.  
“I’m also guessing, I’m the only person at this table who was baptized.”  
“I don’t remember.” William replied.  
“You weren’t. It was…complicated.” Scully replied, “Joy?”  
Joy shook her head, “From what I’ve gathered from my mother, she isn’t religious and never was.”  
“And I know you weren’t.” Scully said not even bothering to look at her husband.  
“Nope, and I have a pretty good understanding as to why.” Mulder sighed crossing his arms and looking at the little girl in the white dress playing with a saltine cracker, “What are you getting at?”  
“I think it would be good, if after the inauguration, she was baptized.”  
Mulder audibly groaned as Melissa smiled and broke the saltine in her tiny hands, “Am I misremembering a discussion, I don’t know CHRISTMAS DAY 2018, when you decided that because she chose such a day to be born she didn’t need to be baptized?”  
“I know, but things were different then. Now, I have to appeal to the entire country and it might be a good idea.”  
“What about the part of the country, myself included, that believes it’s her choice to make. If she decides at seventeen, or ten years from now that she’d like to take a dip in the spiritual pool I say go for it, but for now let her just exist without that baggage.”  
“Religion is baggage?”  
“I’ve known you for twenty-seven years, it’s mostly definitely been an obstacle.”  
“How so? In terms of our relationship? Was it the first time we slept together, the tenth, or when our first child was born out of wedlock?”  
“That’s not what I meant.”  
“Then what did you mean?” Scully’s voice rose causing the few couples at other tables to turn their heads.  
“This might not be the best place to have this conversation…mom.” William said as he smiled at an elderly woman who narrowed her eyes at him.  
Realizing her son was right, Scully took a deep breath, “You’re right. We’ll discuss this later.”  
“Can’t wait.” Mulder sighed as he loosened his tie.  
January 6th, 2020 – 12:25 PM  
“All I meant…” Mulder said as he followed his wife into their bedroom while pulling off his black tie, “Was your religious convictions sometimes got in the way of you living your life.” He finished while closing the door behind him.  
Wearing a dark green sweater and black slacks, Scully turned to her husband, “April 5, 1992.”

“Precisely. The most logical suspect for the murder of two altar boys was clearly a priest, but you refused to see it.”  
Crossing her arms, Scully nodded, “And in the end you were right.”  
“As always, but my point was if you just looked at it as an investigator and not a young girl in love with her Sunday School teacher you would have seen the truth that was right in front of you.”  
“That was our fourth case, Mulder.”  
“There is no learning curve in the FBI.” Mulder said pulling off his jacket and walking into the walk in closet.  
“And I wasn’t in love with my Sunday School teacher. The man was murdered in his front lawn. I had every right to be upset.”  
“Almost twenty years later.” Mulder said hanging his jacket on a coat hanger and placing it back in the rod before walking out of the closet and back into the room.  
“And forty-years later it still upsets me. Kind of like …” Scully stopped herself before walking into the closet and placing her black heels on the appropriate shoe rack.  
“Kind of like, what?” Mulder asked following her.  
“Nothing.” Scully said walking past him back into the bedroom.  
“My sister?” Mulder asked turning off the closet light, “Were you honestly going to compare your Sunday school teacher’s murder to MY SISTER?!” his voice became loud and agitated in way Scully hadn’t heard in some time.  
“I’m sorry!” Scully replied, “But you did let her disappearance control your life so much you wouldn’t let anyone else in, including me!”  
“That’s not true.” Mulder replied, his voice a bit calmer as he turned and walked towards the bathroom.  
“February 14, 1996.” She said, “We agreed to spend the evening together, just as friends, but oh no there was a potential Samantha sighting and Dana’s left all alone at Filomena Ristorante with cold eggplant parmesan to go.”  
“Technically that was Frohike’s fault, but it’s best not to speak ill of the dead.” Mulder said unbuttoning his dress shirt before pulling it off and tossing it in the hamper, “And I apologized.”  
“Yes, you did, but you still put a ghost before a live person who cared about you.”  
Mulder looked at his reflection in the mirror, every line on his face and nearly every single one a year with the woman next to him and sighed, “Fine.”  
“Fine what?”  
“If you think it would be good to baptize Missy then I won’t interfere.”  
Forgetting that their argument started about the little girl now napping in her bed, Scully took a deep breath and nodded, “Now I’m not so sure.”  
“Seriously? We’ve been screaming at each other for an hour for something your now not sure of?”  
“I wouldn’t say screaming, we just got a lot off our chests. Maybe stuff we’ve held in for too long.”  
Mulder nodded as he turned away from the mirror, leaning against the sink, “I’m sorry about Filomenia’s.”  
Scully smiled a bit before nodding, “And I’m sorry about Father Anthony.”  
Walking to the doorway, his arms outstretched, Scully took a step as his arms embraced her, pulling her small frame against his before kissing her on the top of the head, “How do you feel about paying William and Joy to take Missy to the mall while we spend the rest of the day in bed watching bad eighties movies. Remember?”  
Scully smiled at the memory, “El Paso….”  
“Ishtar, Howard the Duck…”  
“Shanghai Surprise.” Scully let how a heartful sigh, “That was a good memory.”  
“You change into sweats or whatever you find comfortable, I’ll do some negotiating.” Mulder said turning to exit the bathroom as Scully went to the dresser to find one of his New York Knicks t-shirts.  
And nothing else.

January 6th, 2020 – 4:25 PM  
Shopping with secret service agents is difficult when you don’t want to bring attention to yourself. William casually asked the agents if they could at least dress down while walking through Tyson’s Mall to the American Girl store where they would get Melissa a Bity Baby Doll with red hair and hazel eyes. Even though the recommended age for a such a doll was eighteen months and Melissa was only a little over twelve months, her advanced growth didn’t even have the sales woman questioning as William scoffed at the sixty dollar price tag.  
“I had Blaire.” Joy said as she walked up the display with the ginger haired doll, “My mom got her for my fifth birthday.” Joy remembered as she picked up the box containing the doll, “I took her everywhere with me…I was holding her when I was told my mom had died and I had to go away.” Joy closed her eyes as she placed the doll back on the shelf.  
“Do you know what happened to the doll?” William asked.  
“No.” She said opening her eyes and staring into the plastic ones before her, “I never saw her in her red dress after that day.”  
William nodded, “Get her.”  
“What?” Joy asked, “You’re kidding.”  
“No, she clearly meant a lot to you.”  
“When I was five.”  
“Joy, I see it in your face. Just pick her up and carry her to the cash register.”  
“She’s one-hundred and forty dollars.”  
“And my dad gave me his black Amex.” William smiled, “Think of it as something to pass on when we have kids.”  
Joy slowly nodded and picked up the box, “She’ll need accessories.”  
“Understandable.”  
William watched in indescribable …Joy, as his Joy skipped around the store filling a handbasket with accessories and Bity’s Lion Friend which Melissa immediately reached for. It was like the childhood stolen from her brought back in an instant. When the cashier was done ringing everything up, the total came to three-hundred and eighty-five dollars.  
Joy’s eyes widened at the total not realizing all she had purchased, “It’s too much.”  
“No, he said to buy whatever we needed. You needed that doll.” William smiled as he handed the cashier the card.  
“And your ID, sir…” the woman questioned to which William nodded and pulled out his ID, but also making the woman believe his name was his father’s. “Thank you, Mr. Fox Mulder.”  
William nodded as he put the ID back in his wallet.  
On their way to get a quick bite his phone went off and he wasn’t surprised by the voice on the other end, “Three hundred and eighty five dollars at the American Girl store?!” His father bellowed on the other end of the phone.  
“Hey, you told me to get Missy a baby doll.”  
“There’s no way a baby doll cost that much.”  
“It was sixty.”  
“Jesus…” Mulder groaned, “Ok, what made up the rest?”  
“A lion for the baby doll.”  
“I didn’t realize dolls needed pets. What else?”  
“A playset for the baby doll.”  
“Ok, now this baby is somehow able to play…that still can’t equal over three hundred.”  
William looked at Joy as she sat down at the fountain five feet away and pulled the Blaire doll out of the box, her fingers tracing the doll’s face as tears ran down her own, “Have you ever done something just to make a woman happy?”  
Mulder, his eyes diverting from the men busting ghosts – they could find no bad eighties movies – to the woman next to him wearing his thirty-year old New York Knicks shirt while picking the sprinkles off a cupcake he had just had delivered, all Mulder could do was nod, “We’ll figure out how you’ll pay me back later.”  
“Fine.” William said, “How long do you need us to be out.”  
“By dinner, and if you could pick something up that would help in the payback.”  
“On it.”  
January 7th, 2020 – 8:10 AM  
Due to an accident, Scully arrived at her office a little late to find Mary at her desk sans glasses blinking rapidly.  
“Is something wrong with your eyes?” Scully asked the young woman.  
“Yeah, round plastic things are in them.” Mary replied wincing.  
“Did something happen to your glasses?”  
“Yeah, I apparently look like Velma from Scooby Do in them.”  
Mentally guessing it was grown adult Jackie who made such a comment to another grown adult, Scully simply sighed and stepped back, “Just, give me a minute.” She said before being followed to her office by her shadows where she could drop off her bag and coat before returning to Mary’s desk, “What exactly did Jackie say?”  
“That I better get used to being judged on how I looked, talked, even how I walk. Is something wrong with my walk?”  
“Nothing is wrong with you.” Scully said walking behind Mary’s desk, “I don’t know why Jackie said all of that, but you are a perfectly fine looking young woman.”  
“I’m plain.”  
“So am I.”  
Mary guffawed, “You’re gorgeous! Your skin is like porcelain.”  
“With cracks in it.”  
“You don’t wear glasses.”  
“I used to.”  
“Contacts?”  
“No.”  
“Laser vision surgery? I’ve wanted that since I was fifteen.”  
“No…” Scully wasn’t exactly going to say that the alien DNA infused with her on miraculously cured her nearsightedness, but instead took a different approach, “Our bodies are constantly changing and sometimes things just get better. My husband had to wear bifocals for a month before his eyes miraculously fixed themselves.”  
“I didn’t know that was possible.”  
It wasn’t, for regular people, but Scully felt it best to just keep that to herself, “You’re a very pretty young woman, you just need to see it for yourself. Speaking of which, are you bringing anyone to the inauguration ball? Apparently I have to create a guest list.”  
“I didn’t even get asked to the prom. Not that I have anything to wear.”  
Scully nodded sympathetically. There was so much she wanted to do for Mary, but she also knew how it would be perceived if she took her assistant out on a shopping spree to buy dress for her inaugural ball.  
“Well, we’ll think of something.” Scully replied before heading to her office to study potential candidates and put together her guest list for two weeks from today.

January 7th, 2020 – 10:25 AM  
Heather sat in her trailer looking over the reworked script for the pilot of a series which didn’t even have a title. The producers turned down the idea of making her character gay, stating it may turn off potential viewers i.e. men and she had to give off the illusion that any guy watching the show would stand a chance with her. Given she was sexually attracted to all genders that wasn’t too far off base, but it was the one sitting at home alone in Malibu she was worried about.  
“What are you doing?” Heather asked Hannah when she picked up on the fourth ring.  
“Trying to figure out what to do with my life.” Hannah replied staring up at the ceiling fan.  
“I thought you did that yesterday.”  
“I never finished.” Hannah sighed and rolled over in the large king size bed, “I need a job.”  
“That’s progress.” Heather replied rolling her eyes at a ridiculous line in the script, “This was clearly written by a man.”  
“What’s the line?”  
“Cynthia – that’s me…”  
“I thought your character’s name was Nicole?”  
“It was, but SOMEONE thought Cynthia sounded better. Anyway, Cynthia looks at the tall dark man she’s been paid to assassinate at the helm of a boat and proclaims herself queen of the world.”  
“Cheese.”  
“Very.” Heather chuckled.  
“Are you naked in this scene.”  
“Scantily clad.”  
Hannah sighed and rolled back over on her back, “I hate it here.”  
“Hannah…”  
“It’s fake…it’s superficial. Two things you’re not.”  
“You liked it a month ago.”  
“A month ago I was wasted twenty-four seven. Sober I see LA for what it really is.” She said sitting up and looking at her reflection in the mirror across from the bed, “I just don’t feel like I belong here.”  
“You do. I told you to go on auditions…you’re gorgeous and when you rehearse lines with me you’re so in character and on point. Not to mention, your last name can open doors.”  
“Never opened them before.”  
“Your aunt wasn’t the President Elect before. Look, I’m off tomorrow. How about we get you some headshots and see what happens?”  
“At least it will be something to do.” Heather replied as a text alert went off on her phone. “Speaking of the President…”  
“What?”  
“A text from someone named Mary confirming our reservations on flight 227 from LAX to DC at eight am on Saturday, January 18th. Hey, first class.”  
“Go, Dana.” Heather chuckled.  
“Are you sure you can get off of work?”  
“They know. I’m off all week in case you want to DC sight see.”  
“Sure…” Hannah replied thankful for something to look forward to, “Another text confirming our hotel reservations for three nights at the St. Regis. Swanky.” A horrible feeling hit her in the pit of the stomach, “You don’t think she’ll invite my dad, do you?”  
“I don’t think she’d want that attention. He didn’t even vote for her.”  
“True.” Hannah replied as she typed a simple thank you to Mary, “Guess we need to go shopping for the ball.”  
“I’m on it, Cinderella. We can do that tomorrow too. They’re calling me now, go find something to do. Love you.”  
“Love you too.”  
Hannah hung up the call before falling back onto her bed to stare at the ceiling.  
Sometimes, she really missed being a mermaid.


	14. Inauguaration Weekend

January 18th, 2020 – 10:30AM  
The previous two weeks seemed to go by in a day. Every day Scully was given new names and backgrounds for potential cabinet members. Ballots for the house of representatives and senate went out to all eligible voters and on the sixth, were due back by today and all four ballots for The State of Colorado had been mailed to the elections office the day after receiving them. Within two weeks they would have an entirely new congress and the hope being they could start turning this country in the right direction.  
To make things easier for everyone, mostly the secret service, those coming for the inauguration – and Scully and her direct family - would all be staying at the St. Regis Hotel. As campaign funds usually paid for such amenities, and Scully had no campaign, they were going to use their own funds until someone unnamed stepped in and took care of the hotel and flights for them. Scully asked Ben if it was his parents, but he assured her his parents were now out of the picture and enjoying retired life in Scottsdale, that the true benefactor would introduce himself when the time was right. Initially, he was to be part of meeting at the country club a few weeks earlier, but was called away on more pressing matters.  
Her stomach a bundle of nerves as she stepped off the elevator and into the St. Regis Suite where a rollaway crib was brought in for Melissa – apparently toddler beds with rails are not an option at hotels – and a bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne welcomed them as a bellman brought in their bags for a three-night stay.  
“Maybe I can get used to this life.” Mulder said as he carried his daughter into the bedroom and looked out the window down at K street, “Government digs were never this good.”  
Scully checked her watch, “The California crew – as they all ended up on the same flight – will be getting in after four. Your brother, who decided to move to Florida will be in around two.”  
“Nice of him to tell me.” Mulder said walking back into the main room.  
“And that’s it.”  
“You could have invited everyone you’ve ever known, some just for spite, and you stuck to your immediate family.”  
“Except Charlie.”  
“Well, we don’t need a Roger Clinton situation.” Mulder said placing Melissa in the makeshift crib, “For five hundred a night you would think they could provide a better crib.”  
“She crawls out of the travel one.”  
“Better than falling out of this one.” Mulder said pulling out his phone. “William and Joy are still at the house. I’ll ask them to grab it. Just to be safe.”  
“On top of the dogs and cats being boarded, you’ve put a lot on their plate.”  
“He owes me.” Mulder said as he mumbled about a doll before his son picked up.  
January 19, 2020 – 11:15AM  
Mary waited in the lobby of the St. Regis hotel. By now, she had gotten used to the contacts as she found her daily runs with her Golden Shepard Jasper were much easier without the glasses. She would officially become Dana’s assistant on Monday, but she was asked by her future boss to come to the hotel and someone would take her on a much-needed shopping spree.  
The elevator doors opened to reveal a tall blonde woman in jeans and a large black sweater who instantly got the attention of nearly every man and woman in the lobby and two red-headed women right behind her. Dana informed Mary that her niece, her son’s fiancé and her niece’s girlfriend would be taking her out to find a gown for the ball the next evening, and these three women clearly fit the description.  
Clearing her throat, Mary stood at attention as the six-foot-tall the woman approached her, smiling to reveal a perfect set of teeth as she extended her hand out for Mary to shake, “I guess it’s safe to assume you’re Mary?”  
Mary nodded as she shook the woman’s hand, even her skin felt perfect, “Yes…” she replied seeming unsure of her name, “And you must be?”

Heather nodded, “Heather. Sorry we were late getting down here, we, well Hannah and I, just flew in from Los Angeles last night and the three hours’ time difference did a number on my sleep schedule.”  
Mary nodded, “It’s ok, I haven’t been waiting long.” An hour and a half was not long when you don’t have anything better to do anyway.  
“Good.” Heather said, “Well, I rented a car for the week as my girlfriend and I want to do some sightseeing later in the week.” Heather started walking towards the parking garage as Hannah and Joy introduced themselves as well. After seeing the large ring on the taller of the two red headed women’s hand she quickly knew who was whom.  
They followed Heather out to a black Honda CRV and she remotely unlocked the car and got into the driver’s side as Mary got into the passenger’s side while Joy and Hannah got in the back.  
“Now, we have an appointment at Rizik’s. They’re usually closed on Sunday, but opened up just for us today.” Heather smiled at Mary, “We’ll be the bells of the ball!” she laughed at her own stupid joke as she looked in the rearview mirror as Hannah rolled her eyes.  
The last two weeks involved more fighting than she really wanted and Hannah and Heather didn’t talk for the entire flight in and even though they slept in the same bed last night, there was still little to no communication. On January 8th, they were supposed to go shopping for this ball as well as get headshots for Hannah in case she wanted to go into acting, but the director called her back for reshoots and ten days had passed before she was able to escape from the set of the series Huntress which was picked up for six episodes and apparently all of those episodes needed to be filmed in those ten days before the inauguration. Heather apologized as much as she could, said she’d make it up to Hannah on this trip, but there was a sadness in Hannah that wouldn’t go away and even looking at her as she watched the world go by from the backseat of the CRV, Heather feared the woman she fell in love with was gone forever.  
Heather’s phone was in her bag between Mary and herself, and as she turned onto Connecticut Ave the vibrating started and a small groan came from the backseat.  
“Why don’t you at least turn it to silent.” Hannah said as it was the fifth time the phone went off since they got to DC.  
“I will.” Heather replied as she stopped at a light, grabbed the phone then turned the dial on her case to Ringer Off before shoving the phone back into the bag.  
Joy had sensed someone was off when they all arrived and had dinner the night before. The two women who were usually so happy hardly said a word to each other and now they were snipping at one another. Given there was a stranger in the car with them, Joy didn’t want to bring anything up but as she looked at Hannah all she felt was deep and utter sadness.  
“Are you ok?” Joy whispered to Hannah.  
Not looking away from the window she nodded, “Fine.”  
While her mind said how much she just wanted to be alone.  
The owner, a dark-haired woman in her late sixties with her hair in a tight bun wearing her most professional black pantsuit, was waiting by the front door to let the women in, handing each one a champagne glass until heather took the one handed to Joy to let the woman, Erin, know that Joy was only eighteen.  
“She looks much older.” Erin said, “Can I get you anything else to drink?”  
“Water is fine.” Joy replied even though she really wanted the champagne.  
“Now...” Erin said as she walked to a rolling rack with dresses, “I looked at the photos and measurements you all provided me in advance and feel these would be the best dresses based on your hair and skin colors.”  
“Now, Heather is it?” Erin said as she removed a Christina Ottaviano, long strapless light pink evening gown with a silver wrap around the midsection from the rack, “I believe this would look gorgeous on you. Would you like to try it on? There’s a dressing room to my left.”  
Heather took the gown from Erin and walked into another room as Erin looked over the other three women and then back at her gowns, “Now, Mary, I believe this Olvi dark burgundy flowing gown would look absolutely perfect on you with your dark hair and light eyes. The sleaves fall off the shoulders which accents your collar bones so you will want to pair this with a nice silver broach.”  
On one glass of champagne shaky legs, Mary stood up from the couch and took the dress from Erin’s hands, “Pretty sure I can’t afford this or the broach.”  
“No worries, dear, as it’s already been paid for.” Erin smiled as she directed her to another dressing room.  
“Who paid? Hannah asked given Heather had promised her ‘the moon’ for her lack of…everything…the last two weeks.  
“Ms. Hunter said to put it all on her credit card.” Erin replied as she pulled a pink satin dress with beadings around the waist and looked at the woman who had questioned who was paying for these dresses, “Hannah?” she said looking at the woman with the light red hair and ivory skin.  
Hannah nodded.  
“Well, Ms. Hunter picked this out especially for you. It’s called a mermaid gown. She said it would look perfect on you.”  
Hannah got up from the couch and approached Erin, looking at the gown in her hands as she ran her fingers against the satin fabric and the white lace embroidery, “It is beautiful.”  
“Put it on and you will see just how beautiful.”  
Nodding, Hannah took the dress to the other room Erin directed her to leaving Joy all alone with her bottle of Evian and one dress left on the rack.  
“I assume that one is for me.” Hannah said looking at the jade green dress hanging from the rack.  
“Yes.” Erin replied taking the dress of the rack and spreading the gown out so Joy could see the lace boddice and the flowing green satin fabric, “There’s one dressing room left.” Erin smiled as Joy took the dress from her and headed towards the unoccupied dressing room.  
Her hair barely past her shoulders, and her makeup job that done by a complete armature – herself – Mary looked at herself in the mirror wearing a dress that probably cost more than her first car and just let herself cry. In the last few weeks her life had already changed so dramatically, but now as the Maybelline eyeliner she got on sale at Target ran down her freckled cheeks she was afraid someone would pinch her and this would all be a dream.  
“Mary, are you ok in there?” Heather’s voice called out from outside the door, “We’d really like to see you.”  
“Just a minute.” Mary replied grabbing a tissue out of her purse to wipe her eyes and face before taking a deep breath and walking out to the main room where all the women, with the exception of Hannah were waiting.   
Every woman looked fabulous, and as they smiled at her she had to assume she looked pretty ok as well.  
Heather smiled at Mary, “You look incredible.” She said, but given she herself looked like a walking Barbie doll, Mary wasn’t sure how to accurately define incredible when it came to her five-foot four self.  
“I’ll check on Hannah one last time.” Heather said heading towards the dressing room which was behind a corner where no one could watch her grovel.  
The door still locked, Heather knocked, “We’d really like to see you now.” She said to the closed door, “If you hate it then we can pick out something else, but when I saw it on a site at a store in Paris, I knew it had to be yours.”  
“Paris?” The little voice on the other side of the door questioned, “This came from Paris?”  
“Yes. Pronovias Paris Tronchet. I called them up and had it sized to your measurements and shipped her as quickly as possible. Please don’t tell me it doesn’t fit.”  
Hannah had been in a trance for the last half hour. Not only did the dress fit perfectly, it made her look more beautiful than she even thought possible. She saw how men, and other women, looked at Heather when they were out together, and she always felt so inadequate. Now, with the long days and nights on the set of a TV series where she knew the only person, she wanted to spend every day for the rest of her life with was kissing and having simulated sex with complete strangers, the fear Heather would find someone better tore at her every day. Hannah hardly remembered her life before meeting Heather and being finally able to be her true self, not having to hide her sexual identity, the fear of losing everything was too much to handle.  
She loved Paris, she always wanted to go there even if she failed French in high school it was still number one on her bucket list. Heather knew that.  
Unlocking the door, Hannah stepped back and waited for Heather to open the door. After about thirty seconds, the knob turned and Heather slowly pulled the door open, seeing Hannah in the dress she had only pictured her in made her heart race.   
“Oh…” was the only word which escaped her lips as she was too entranced to say another.  
Seeing Heather in her gown, only made Hannah even more fearful of losing her, “You look incredible...” Hannah said as Heather slowly entered the room, closing and locking the door behind her.  
Without saying another word, Heather placed her hands on Hannah’s face, and looking deeply into her eyes she said the words Hannah never thought she’d hear, “Marry me.”  
Feeling like her heart fell into her stomach, Hannah quickly placed her hands on Heather’s, their fingers intwining as she simply replied, “Yes.”  
Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, Heather leaned down and kissed Hannah softly on the lips, the last ten days disappearing in an instant as Hannah’s hands moved to Heather’s waist gripping her tightly as the kiss deepened, her lips parting as Heather’s hands moved to Hannah’s neck, pushing her against the dressing room mirror as there was a knock on the door.  
“Are you ok in there?” Joy’s voice questioned.  
Their moment quickly interrupted, Heather parted from Hannah and took a deep breath as she looked down at the flushed woman before her, “Are we ok?”  
“We’re ok.” Hannah’s replied as she gave Heather a reassuring smile and took her hands in hers, “Very ok.”

After purchasing the dresses, which thankfully all fit perfectly, the ladies then went to lunch – which was also Heather’s treat and the entire drive to the restaurant Joy could tell something was up between the women who were no longer acting cold to one another and had not stopped holding hands since they got out of the car at the valet. As she sipped on her Diet Coke, she focused on the two of them, watching as their hands gripped one another and remembered how she felt the night William put the ring on her finger. The realization hitting her she sat back from her drink and blinked rapidly at the two women before her.  
“What?” Hannah asked looking at the shocked woman before her.  
“Nothing.” Joy said picking up the wrapper from her straw and balling it up between her right thumb and index finger, “Nothing at all.” she said smiling before the thought ‘keep your mouth shut.’ Came directly from Heather to her.  
Nodding, Joy went back to her soda as she played with the diamond ring on her finger.  
“So…”Mary said sitting to the left of Joy and unable to take her eyes off the ring next to her, “When’s the big day?”  
“Oh…” Joy said, turning her left hand to get a good gander at the rock, “We don’t have one.”  
“Aesthetics.” Heather jumped in, “She’s engaged to Dana’s son and it wouldn’t look very good to certain people if they were living together and not married.”  
“We’re only eighteen. I’d like to be able to legally drink champagne at my own wedding.” Joy smiled. “I like the ring though…very much.”  
“Yes, Joy needs to figure out if she still wants to be a doctor.” Heather continued, “Right, Joy?”  
Given the winter semester started on the eleventh, and due to her very unique situation, Joy was attending classes remotely and finding she wasn’t as stressed about it as she was when they were in Stanford.  
“What’s your major?” Mary asked as she wanted to further her studies in psychology before she had to drop out to help her grandmother. “Pre-med?”  
“It’s not an option; my current major is biology. We’re currently studying the nucleotide structure of DNA and RNA. It’s very fascinating. I had planned to attend Stanford Medical School after graduating...”  
“Past tense?” Hannah asked.  
“I don’t know what I want anymore.” Joy sighed, her fingers instinctively going to her ring, “So much has changed in the last year.”  
“Tell me about it.” Heather and Hannah replied in unison.  
“Yeah. It’s been crazy. Does anyone even know what happened last July? It’s like a terrorist attack no one talks about. “ Mary asked looking at the women across from her.  
The three women shook their heads and thanked the server Steve when he arrived with their meals.

After lunch was a quick stop to DSW for some heels to go with their gowns and then to Blue Nile in Tysons to look for jewelry for the ball. While Joy and Mary were at another counter looking at earrings and necklaces, Heather walked Hannah over to the glass display with the rings.  
“Whatever you want…” Heather said looking down at the display as the woman behind the counter smiled at them, “and I’ll get the same.”  
Her heart still beating a mile a minute Hannah looked down at the rings on display. They all looked the same, but there was one that just jumped out at her, “What about that one.” She said pointing to a scalloped pave ring in eight karat white gold.  
The sales woman Marci opened the cabinet and pulled out the display with the ring, “This is two carat princess astor ideal cut diamond, color grade D which makes it internally flawless. Would you like to try it on?”  
Hannah nodded, “Yes, please.”  
Marci handed the ring to Heather who then placed it on Hannah’s left ring finger – with two very large security guards standing by – “How does it fit?”  
“Perfectly.” Hannah replied sighing heavily.  
Marci smiled as she picked up the ring’s exact double, “You’re lucky we have two in stock.” She said handing the second ring to Hannah who placed it on Heather’s finger watching as a tear fell from her eye.  
Heather turned to Marci, “We’ll take them.”  
Marci nodded as she walked over to the register and pulled out a charge slip, “I just need you to sign Ms. Hunter.”  
Hannah watched as Heather signed the charge slip, seeing the date as January 15th.  
“You planned this?” Hannah asked as Heather placed her copy of the charge slip into her purse.  
“You have tiny fingers.” Heather replied, “You have to order the rings in advance. They didn’t even come in till this morning.”  
Hannah looked over at Marci who was smiling as she placed the display, minus two rings, back in the case, then back at Heather, “What if I said no?”  
“I would have been out a lot of money.” Heather said as she took Hannah’s ring free hand, “Now you can stop staring at Joy’s in jealousy; your ring cost more.”  
Heather had mentally told Joy to keep Mary busy, so when they returned and Mary was trying on a pearl necklace, Joy internally squealed when she saw both women wearing their matching engagement rings.  
“Did you find anything?” Heather asked the ladies.  
“Nothing I can afford.” Mary said sighing as she took off the necklace.  
“Nonsense, this is all my treat.” She said pulling out her gold card, “I’m high on life. Enjoy yourselves!”  
January 19th, 2020 – 6:15PM

“OUCH!” Scully screamed as the seamstress pulled her gown back catching some of her skin when she pinned it.  
“I’m sorry ma’am, but you’ve lost weight since the last fitting.”  
“Of course, I have.” Scully said as she looked at herself in the hotel room mirror, her hair pulled into a messy bun as the small woman who was pinning the royal blue evening gown did her best not to poke her a second time.  
She was advised that her gown needed to be red, white or blue. White was too ‘pure’, red was too ‘not pure.’ So, she settled on blue. Knowing she would be judged if any hint of a bustline was visible, she chose a high collar, lace boddice with elbow length sleeves. The dress was delivered on the tenth, and she was fitted in it that day and here, nearly ten days later, it had to be taken in even more.  
“Is it bad luck to see the President elect in her gown before the inauguration?” the man who entered the hotel room with a large paper bag in one hand, a canvas bag over his shoulder and a one year old asleep on his shoulder nestled in the carrier on his back.  
Scully couldn’t help but snicker at his joke, which was very much needed given how stressed out she had been all day.  
“Don’t take it in too much.” Mulder instructed the seamstress, “she still needs to breathe.”  
The older woman nodded as she unzipped the back of the dress as Scully, wearing only a matching set of black bra and panties, stepped out of the dress and grabbed the hotel provided bathrobe she had previously placed on the chair by the mirror and pulled it on, tying it tightly around her waist, “What’s in the bags?” she asked as her husband placed the paper and canvas bag on the small dining table.  
“Dinner.” He replied as he unbuckled the carrier from his waist before carefully pulling it off as the little girl began to awaken.  
“I thought we were having dinner at the hotel restaurant?”  
“We were, but given you didn’t sleep at all the night before I felt it best to just have a small dinner with the three of us. Think of it as a twenty-four-year-old, very past due rain check for Filomenia’s.”  
Her arms welcoming the sleepy little girl who had just been taken out of the carrier, Scully held Melissa on her hip as the little one rested her head on her mother’s shoulder and quickly drifted back to sleep.  
“It looks delicious.” Scully watched as he pulled the take-out containers from the bag and placed them on the table.  
“We have bruschetta, Insalata Alla Caesar WITH cheese and dressing.” Mulder said placing the containers in front of his wife, “Now, as our diets have changed since the nineties, I forgot how much their menu favored…carnivores, so I asked if it was possible to just get penne with marinara and vegetables. Apparently, it is.” He said taking out two more containers and placing them on the table, “A small order of penne and cut up cherry tomatoes for the one who still eats with her fingers, strawberry cheesecake for dessert and a nice bottle of Castello di Volpaia Chianti.” The wine being the last item removed from the bag.  
“Corkscrew?” Scully asked as she felt her stomach starting to rumble.  
“I then stopped at Trader Joes and picked up a corkscrew, and some nice relaxing bath bubbles and salts along with this nice lavender candle. All in hopes of you getting at least a good eight hours sleep before tomorrow’s big day.”  
“Was anyone disappointed about the change in plans?”  
Mulder shook his head as he folded the paper bag, “No, they seemed happy to do their own thing. It’s not like they won’t be sick of us tomorrow.”  
“It’s really happening…” Scully said as her stomach lost the hunger and went back to tying itself into knots, “In a way, I just want tomorrow to be over...”  
“It will before you know it.” Mulder replied giving her a reassuring smile, “I’ll go get some ice.”

The alarm buzzing woke Scully out of what felt like a yearlong coma. Opening her eyes, she saw five fifteen pm on the alarm clock on the nightstand to her right. Her mind foggy, she instinctively hit the off button and found herself in the dark, fully clothed on top of the bed.  
Alone.  
Waiting for her eyes to focus, she looked around the room and realized within seconds she was in her Bethesda bedroom.  
“No…” she said softly, before repeating herself in a much louder tone before getting out of bed and rushing to the bathroom to see her reflection in the mirror. Her hair a little bit past her shoulders, and much lighter as there was a period of time when she wanted to see how strawberry blonde looked. After the shock of the woman looking back at her in the mirror, she then rushed back into the bedroom and searched for her phone.  
Eventually finding it on the other nightstand, the date made her quickly drop it.  
March 4, 2017  
The doorbell rang, a sound she hadn’t heard in years, but given everything else happening she pretty much needed to know who it was – praying it was who she hoped it was – she quickly made her way to the front door to open it and see…  
Scott.  
For a brief period of time, a few months maybe, Scully had a causal relationship with one of the doctor’s at Our Lady of Sorrows. In a way, she wanted to see if it was even possible to date again and in the end she realized her heart only belonged to one man and now, here stood another man…and she felt her heart ache.  
“Aren’t you going to let me in?” he asked handing her a bottle of white wine, “I thought you were going to cook?” he asked as he walked past her towards the darkened kitchen.  
“Sidetracked.” Scully replied closing the door, and handing him back the wine. “Will you excuse me?” she said rushing back to the bedroom, closing – and locking – the door behind her before grabbing her phone and going through the contacts until she got to the Ms’. Quickly pressing the call button, she paced as it rang once then beeped. She tried again, another ring, followed by “the number you have dialed is out of service.”  
Terrified and confused as her heart continued to ache, Scully then went to Safari and Googled Fox William Mulder in hope, and fear, of what would come up.  
Fox William Mulder 1961-2016  
Letting her phone fall from her hands, Scully felt as if all life had left her body.  
It was all a dream.  
The last three years didn’t exist.  
Swallowing the pain as much as she could, Scully got up from the bed and with shaking fingers unlocked the door before opening it. Scott was on the phone ordering kung pao chicken as Scully walked by him into the kitchen to pull out a corkscrew for the wine she just wanted to swallow in a single gulp.  
“House of Foong Lin will deliver in about twenty-minutes.” The man who looked like he walked out of a J Crew catalog said as he joined Scully just as she was removing the cork from the bottle, “You don’t look so well.”  
Scully huffed a bit as she grabbed a wine glass from the cupboard, unsure what to really say to man she honestly didn’t remember very well other than he loved football and was deeply conservative. After taking a large, gulp, of wine she looked up at the man with the jet-black hair and bright blue eyes, “Who is president?”

Snorting a bit, Scott grabbed a wine glass as well and poured himself some wine before answering, “You said I wasn’t allowed to mention his name.”  
Groaning, she took another large sip before placing the glass on the counter, “I think you should leave.”  
“Dana, I thought we’d be over this. We made a mutual decision to not let politics come between us.”  
The memory of said conversation did slowly return, but with it the memory of Mulder calling and saying there was an Ed Wood film festival at the E Street Cinema and she HAD to join him.  
“Sorry, it’s just…a bad day.”  
Sighing, Scott placed the glass down next to hers, “It’s been a year, right?”

“Sorry?” Scully asked.  
“Since, he, died.”  
Not needing to even ask who he was referring to, and unable to really say his name right now, all she could do was nod.  
“I know he was your friend, and you meant a lot to one another, but you need to move on with your life. It’s not your fault.”  
“Why would you say that?”  
“Say what?”  
“That it isn’t my fault.”  
“Because you seem to think it is. That if you had gotten to him in time, he’d still be alive. If you found your son, he would have been able to help.”  
What Scully had spent years believing was a dream, a vision sent to her by William, was now reality? “No.” she said stepping back away from him, “That was a dream, a vision, it never happened. Mulder didn’t die. We got back together, we got married, we HAD A CHILD!”  
“When?” Scott asked crossing his arms.  
“December 25, 2019. Melissa was born on Christmas Day.”  
“Wasn’t that your sister’s name?”  
“That’s who she was named after.”  
“And not to be TOO insulting, aren’t you in your fifties? Women don’t generally have children in their fifties.”  
“It happened.”  
“In the future?”  
“YES!” Scully screamed at him, “MY FUTURE! Where Mulder is NOT dead, my daughter exists and *I* am the President!”  
Scott snorted then picked up his glass, “A woman president. That’s rich. We already tried that and look what happened.”  
“It happens, and I told you to leave.”  
Nodding, Scott finished the wine before placing the empty glass on the counter, “Enjoy the Chinese food, the total is twenty-two eighty plus tip.”  
“I will!” Scully yelled following him to the door as he opened it and slammed it behind him.  
The house quiet as the sound of a car starting and pulling away could be heard from behind the door, Scully took a deep breath and stood against the door, “Please wake up…please wake up…please wake up…” she heard a male voice calling out to her in her mind.  
“Mulder?” she said looking up at the ceiling, as she began to recognize the voice.  
“Yes, please wake up.”  
Her eyes fluttering open, she was now laying in another bed – under the covers – as two worried and concerned hazel green eyes were looking down at her.  
“Where am I?” she said fearing she was in another dream.  
“DC.” Mulder replied helping her sit up.  
Looking around the hotel room, Scully’s eyes stopped at the little girl with the messy red curls sucking her thumb as she sat on her father’s lap.  
“It wasn’t a dream.” She said blinking at Melissa as tears began to fall from her eyes.  
“You were having a pretty rough one. Kicked me in your sleep and then Missy woke up crying.”  
“What’s today?” she asked still unsure about…everything.  
Mulder looked at the clock next to him, “As of now, at two fifteen am, it’s January 20th.”  
“And who is President?”  
“Well, in about ten hours, you are?” he said smiling, “What happened in that dream?”  
“You don’t want to know.” Scully said sighing, “You really don’t.”   
His hand still on her back, Mulder began to rub it gently, moving his fingers lower to where he knew she would need it most and watched as her eyes slowly closed, “Can you do that until I fall back asleep?” she asked.  
“As long as you need me to.” He said, “But let me put this one back to bed first.”  
Scully nodded as she slid back under the covers and turned onto her right side and waiting for his gentle touch to ease her into a restful slumber.


	15. Inauguration Day 2020 - Part One

January 20th, 2020 8:15AM  
Allie Covarrubias sat at her mother’s breakfast bar in her Georgetown brownstone and stared down at the oatmeal with raisins in the bowl before her. Wearing a long grey sweater to cover up the scars on her neck and wrists and black leggings, the newly turned eighteen-year old had been staying with her mother since returning from England, and her mother hadn’t left her alone for five minutes. The woman who couldn’t even be bothered to raise her own child was now smothering her.  
“Eat.” Marita said as she entered the kitchen in her peach silk bathrobe, her blonde hair in large curlers.  
“I’m not hungry.” Allie replied, “The mind-numbing drugs you force me to take kill my appetite. You should have just let me die.”  
The mantra the young woman had been repeating for days was wearing on Marita. There was so much she needed to be doing, but asked Ben to step in for while she hoped to get her daughter to a place where she was well enough to not be watched twenty-four seven, but after nearly three-weeks, Allie was still withdrawn and all sharp objects were locked away.  
“Allie, today is the ONE day I have to be able to do my job.”  
“I’m not stopping you.” Allie replied looking at her mother as she pulled the sweater down past her wrists.  
“And if I leave you alone and your father starts talking to you again, then what?”  
Allie shrugged, “It is what it is.”  
Given how much she hated that phrase, Maria went to the fridge and pulled out a protein shake, “At least drink this.” She said placing the plastic container next to the now cold oatmeal.  
Allie watched as her mother walked towards the staircase, “Why can’t I just go with you?”  
Her hand gripping the end of the banister, Marita looked at her daughter in the long sweater and leggings she had been wearing for weeks to cover the red scars on her neck and wrists. The stiches were removed only a few days earlier, but the scars would remain. A long-sleeved dress would cover up the wrist scars, but the neck was much harder to hide. Makeup was possible and it would be good for her daughter to be around other people even if that meant explaining to everyone who her daughter was.  
Nodding, Marita gave her daughter a reassuring smile, “That’s a good idea. Why don’t we see if there’s anything in my closet that will work?”  
January 20, 2020 – 5:05AM  
The nightmare still weighing on her mind, Scully awakened at five am, her husband sleeping soundly beside her – his hands still on her back – Scully got out of the warm bed and passed by her sleeping daughter on the floor in the travel toddler bed as she walked to the main room to pull out her iPad for a one hundredth look at her inauguration speech.  
She honestly wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t want to plagiarize great speeches like asking what your country can do for you, or make it sound like she didn’t appreciate the great responsibility she was being given. The speech had to be concise, and meaningful. People, who Marita – whose family emergency had made her unavailable for nearly three weeks – had said would look to her as the mother that needed to reassure them everything would be ok.  
“The sun isn’t even up.” A groggy Mulder said as he walked into the main room.  
“I just want to make sure it’s perfect. I can’t mess this up.” Scully replied going over every sentence, every piece of punctuation to make sure she didn’t sound unprepared.  
“I’m sure it is.” Mulder ran his fingers through his hair as he yawned and walked to the small coffee area, “If there’s a coffee called Jet Fuel I need it.”  
“I can’t have you too hyper.” Scully replied, “You’re my rock you know.”  
“I know.” He said. “Breakfast blend it is. Two?”  
“Please.” She nodded, pulling her legs up onto the chair and crossing them, “I’m actually waiting for someone to say OOPS, we miscounted.”  
“I think they would have done that by now.” He replied walking back to the bedroom after hearing Melissa call for him.  
Scully took a minute to watch from afar as Mulder picked up their daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek before scooping her up into his arms and walking into the bathroom.  
“This is not a dream.” She sighed before going back to her speech.

January 20th, 2020 – 9:30AM  
The cars would be picking them up to go to the capital in thirty minutes. Scully, after two cups of coffee and a long shower had done her own hair and makeup, put on her favorite blue suit with white silk top. She had purchased a red overcoat as Mulder refused to wear a red tie with his newly purchased navy-blue suit with matching vest and polka dot tie. Scully put the finishing touches on her speech and makeup as Mulder fought, again, with his daughter’s feet. The ivory brocade dress was purchased not even a week earlier and fit her perfectly as she was now the size of a two-year-old, but as she sat in her pretty white dress, with fake fur coat and white tights her father cursed the heaven’s above that the size eight Mary Janes would not fit.  
Her hair pulled back into a nice white bow, the last thing Scully needed was her daughter crying in pain. So, as she feared this could happen, she went to the bedroom opened her suitcase and pulled out the size eight and a half Mary Janes she purchased just in case they ran into this issue.  
“Here.” She said handing Mulder the shoes as he knelt before the little girl sitting in the red antique chair almost on the verge of tears, “I figured this would happen.”  
Mulder took the small box from his wife and as he opened it a large sigh of relief left his lips as he let the eight Mary Jane drop from his frustrated hand and took the half size larger shoe, easily slipping it onto his daughter’s foot, “Just like Cinderella.”  
“You also have to take into account the tights. They are pretty thick.” She said tightening her pearl earrings.  
Mulder nodded as he tossed the smaller shoes into the box and picked up Melissa as he stood up, “How does your mommy look?” he asked Melissa.  
“Pretty.” Melissa replied as she cooed at her mother.  
“Do you want to get the stroller just in case?” Scully asked, “You may get tired holding her.”  
Mulder shook his head as he adjusted the little one on his hip. “I’ll never get tired of holding her.”  
January 20, 2020 10:30AM  
Aside from the good luck texts she received from her family members, Scully hadn’t seen any of them as she, Mulder and Melissa were loaded up into the newly acquired Beast to start the route to the capital. She didn’t expect any kind of big turnout given the current state of the country and the fact that she was fairly unknown.   
When they arrived at the front of the capital, Scully and her family were told to stay seated as they made sure the area was secure. Mulder, looking out the windows as Melissa sat securely in the car seat they had made special for the new Beast, watched as the security from the cars in front and behind them got out checking the surroundings. One young man stood with his back against the passenger side of the car where his wife was located as another stood by his door. Once they received the all clear the doors opened and they were able to get out of the car. Holding his daughter securely in his arms, Mulder followed his wife – along with the six secret service agents they had never before met – as they walked into the capital. Alex, his wife Kimberly and their twin daughters Fiona and Jessica behind them. As she had spent many hours with Alex discussing strategies, she was able to see framed photos of his family on his desk, but seeing his daughters now in their matching red dresses they looked like beautiful dolls along with his equally gorgeous wife.  
The house and senate election votes would be counted starting today, and usually by the inauguration the newly elected congress men and women would have already been sworn in and waiting at the capital to meet the President-elect, however, since there currently were no members of congress, the only hands Scully was able to shake were those of the police officers standing guard.  
One, she recognized the second she shook his hand.  
“Kevin…” she said looking into the blue eyes of a man she hadn’t seen since he was a boy.  
The young man smiled as he nodded at Scully, “Surprised you recognized me.”  
Adjusting the weight of his daughter on his hip, it took Mulder a moment to remember the man until it just clicked in his mind, “Kevin Kryder.”  
The young man they had met when he was only ten back in 1995, was being pursued by a man killing those he believed touched by God, had been left in the hands of child services back on that cold day in December. Now, in his thirties he stood before them a member of Washington DC’s finest, a gold ring on his left finger.  
“When I saw your name on the ballot, it all came back. I just started crying at my desk. I told my sergeant all you had done for me and he made sure I was here to thank you.”  
Not wanting to mess up her makeup, all Scully could do was smile, “I’m happy to see you doing so well.”  
“Yes, ma’am, married to a lovely woman named Amber and we have four children.”  
“That’s beautiful.” Scully replied as the secret service informed her, she needed to keep moving.  
“Take care of yourself, Kevin.”  
“You too, Madame President.” Kevin smiled as she released his hand and kept walking, an overwhelming feeling of happiness coming over her.  
They were all ushered into another room where they were asked to wait until it was their time to exit. There were plenty of couches and Scully sat down with her husband and daughter as Alex sat across from them.  
“Nervous?” Alex asked Scully as he crossed his long legs and smiled his perfect chicklet teeth.  
“Nope.” Scully lied.  
When she was elected as senior class president of her high school, Scully stood before the class of 1982 and promised reduced lunches and a soda machine in the cafeteria. Through a lot of hard work, she was able to get ten cents off a carton of milk, but the soda machine was against the school health and wellness code. Now, she was promising millions of people an end to discrimination and global warming.  
She just hoped she could pull it off.  
Generally, in inaugurations past, the seats behind the inaugural platform on the Capitol’s West Front are filled with senators and congressmen as well as former presidents. Given there currently was no congress, and former presidents were asked to stay home for their own safety, less seating was put in place to fill out the west front of the capitol. The Air Force honor guard still in place along with the honor band, but given her family and friends invited was under fifty people, raffles were held for ordinary citizens – after being properly screened - to sit at the capital during the ceremony. Not ten minutes after sitting down someone came in for Mulder, Melissa and Alex’s wife and daughters. As much as she wanted him by her side, Scully knew this was something she had to do on her own and said a prayer for herself and the nation as she watched them be escorted out the door.  
Her eyes closed, Scully silently prayed for strength and courage, unsure how long she was in her meditation before someone told her it was time to go.  
The walk was long, and it felt like she was going in slow motion as she followed the security down to the west front. The fear, that THIS was the dream and she would soon wake up alone in her Bethesda home hit her like a ton of bricks as she made her way down the long staircase, but after taking a moment to compose herself, she continued her walk until she was told to stop.  
Start, stop, she followed directions as her mind raced, hoping she wouldn’t forget the speech she spent weeks writing. Making sure her cross was outside the shirt and that her hair stayed in place. This was a moment she could have really used the strong hand of the man who had been by her side the last twenty-eight years, but his voice stayed with her telling her she had this.  
She walked a good ten feet from the closed double doors, as those already outside were told to please be seated. She heard directions being given, secret service with their hands to their ears as they were being given their own directions and with her hands clasped before her in her red wool overcoat, her navy-blue pantsuit and her white silk blouse she listened as various names were announced and trumpets began playing. Her mouth dry as she stood alone …the trumpets stopped, the doors opened and the announcer called out “Ladies and gentleman, your next president Dana Katherine Scully.”  
Two people told her to go and she found herself frozen in fear, until another voice, the voice of the seventeen-year old girl standing before her senior class told her this was her time.  
Nodding, to herself, Scully walked out the door to strangers and to her family all clapping their hands and cheering for her and only her as she walked down those red and blue carpeted stairs. Watching inaugurations in the past, former presidents shook hands and hugged those in attendance, and as she saw her family members and friends she did what she could to exchange pleasantries with all of them before the announcer instructed them all to take their seats and her seat was to her right on the aisle next to Alex.   
Sitting down she took another deep breath, checking to her left to see her husband with Melissa on his lap smiling as two hands were placed on her shoulder and her son whispered that he was proud of her.  
In the past, the Chairman of the Inaugural Committee would then speak, but as the inaugural committee consisted of the anonymous benefactor, a young woman named Anabelle Richardson was announced before this woman, who couldn’t be more than thirty, with shoulder length brown hair wearing a dark red dress and matching heals walked past Scully to the podium and waited for the crowd to quiet down.  
“Good Afternoon.” She said into the two microphones as she opened up a binder and looked to Scully and Alex, “Ms. President-Elect and Mr. Vice President-Elect, welcome to the inauguration of the forty-sixth president of The United States of America. As the last six months have been left many of us fearful and confused, we look forward to a peaceful return to normalcy and with our new President and Vice President and a country that resembles the one our four fathers founded.”  
The next ten minutes seemed to fly by as a pastor read a standard prayer followed by a young woman singing My Country ‘Tis of Thee, followed by the introduction of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court – all who would be retiring once their replacements – with term limits – were confirmed. As Alex and Kimberly made their way to the podium, and the justice handed Kimberly the bible, they all watched as he took the oath. Her heart beating against her chest, Scully felt a hand take her left wrist and squeeze it.   
After another musical break, as the clock ticked closer to noon, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was announced and the hand which never left her wrist squeezed harder as she knew the time had come.  
As Mulder held the bible in one hand, Melissa steady on his hip, Scully placed her left hand on the bible and raised her right hand as she repeated the oath ending with “so help me God.” Thinking to herself she was going to need as much help as possible.  
As Hail to the Chief played, she took a moment to kiss her husband and daughter and hug her son before hearing her name again and knowing it was time to promise soda machines in the cafeteria. Approaching the podium, looking out at a sea of people she didn’t expect - especially given the dramatic drop in the population – she thought about her speech. Her promises of a better world for her children to grow up in as she looked into the eyes of so many strangers who had survived the most horrific event to ever happen to this country. Her eyes focused on a young girl to her right, the young woman’s auburn hair pulled back behind her ears wearing a bright red coat with fake fur on the color. Scully’s eyes fixated on this girl as she then looked up at the clear blue sky. The speech she had spent weeks perfecting felt hollow now. She could promise so many things, but in her heart of hearts she knew the only things she could do was be herself.  
“For many of you…” she said into the double microphone, almost jumping back as it was much more powerful than the one in her high school auditorium or any senate hearings she attended, “This is your first time actually seeing me….so…hello. I’m not a politician, nor did I ever see myself as one let alone as your President. Like a lot of you, I grew up in a military family, went to Catholic school and attended church every Sunday. I have a husband and two children, and just like you I want to be proud of my country. I want to live in a country where people are not judged by the color of their skin, or who they choose to love or what religion they practice or don’t practice. At the end of the day we are all ordinary people who want to live our lives and take care of our families. I’m not saying this is going to be easy, I’m not saying I’m the right person for the job, but I can promise that I will do whatever I can to make this country one we are all proud to call our home.”  
Stepping back from the microphone she realized her impromptu speech was maybe a third the length of the planned one, and as she looked around at the crowds below and felt the uncomfortable silence, she returned to the microphones one last time to say, “God bless America.”  
Stepping back further she waited to see if people realized she was now done and the clapping started slowly, from the man directly behind her, but then grew louder as more people joined in with a few random cheers and she took a deep sigh of relief that at least this part was over.  
Being told to wait in their seats, Scully, Mulder and Melissa stayed put while the others left. William gave his mother a kiss before saying he would see them later. As tradition, the president and his or her spouse walked from the capital to the White House and even though the residence was still uninhabitable, they decided to at least continue the walk so spectators could get a good luck at the first family.  
“Be honest…” Scully asked her husband, “What did you think about my speech?”  
“It was perfect.” Mulder quickly replied as he made sure Melissa’s coat was buttoned up, “Not too long, not too short…just perfect.”  
“Thanks, Goldilocks.” Scully replied just as an agent told them it was time to walk.  
The distance between the capitol and the White House was one point nine miles and even though the weather was relatively warm for January, the four-inch navy blue pumps Scully chose to wear were quickly reminding her they were not walking shoes. As they turned from Constitution Ave to Pennsylvania and Scully could see the Washington Monument to her left, she gripped the hand of her husband harder as a way to power through the rest of her journey. There were a few onlookers along the way who waved and wished her luck, but there was no need for stadium seating this year and Scully was fine with it. Turning onto 16th Street at Pershing Park, seeing the white building that used to simply be for field trips and the one time they had to meet with Bill Clinton, knowing it would soon be her home made Scully’s knees go weak. She stumbled a bit, as Mulder held her hand tightly.  
“Did you trip?” He asked, concerned that she had broken something.  
“No, I just…” she felt ashamed for admitting it, “Got weak in the knees.”  
“Best not to tell a guy that a house gets you more excited than he does.”  
“The house doesn’t compare.” She replied appreciating his humor at this time.  
They were escorted into the front doors of the White House by the same secret service agents who had accompanied them on the walk. Four going ahead to make sure the house was secure before they could enter. Being told to wait would be something Scully would have to get used to.  
The double mahogany doors opened up to a large room with light red and white tile. There were stairs to the left which lead up to the residence, but all the lights, couches, paintings and even the large chandelier were missing.  
“This is strange.” Mulder said walking up to the wall where he remembered there being a small gold table with a marble top and a large mirror, “I remember a mirror being here.”  
“Stolen.” A young woman who came down from the residence stairs said in response to Mulder’s statement, “Along with the painting of George W Bush. We’re having it recommissioned.”  
“My name is April.” She said holding out her hand for Mulder and Scully to shake, “I’m in charge of the renovation project. I was a tour guide and now I will be the head usher, so I know every inch of this building. Thankful that the piano was too big to steal, but it’s currently in storage so we can repaint.”  
Walking to the wall, where the piano would have been, Mulder could make out writing on the wall, “F…c…T..u..” Mulder stepped back, “How did people get in to even do this?”  
“No one knows.” April replied shaking her head in aggravation. “We moved out all the remaining furniture, paintings and statues. We’ve been working on it since late July and apparently this wall needs yet another coat of paint. I can at least give you a tour of the first floor. The residence has just been painted so the fumes are still pretty bad up there.”  
They all nodded as April instructed them to follow her, “Straight ahead from us is the blue room, to the left is the green room and to the right is the red room. If you follow me towards the west colonnade I can show you where your future office will be.”  
“The oval office.” Mulder noted.  
“Yes.” April smiled up at him and then at Scully as they exited the executive residence, “I watched the inauguration from my office by the front door. I can’t believe we finally have a woman president.”  
“Me neither.” Scully replied as she watched her daughter point to a bird in one of the cherry trees in the Rose Garden.  
“There are thirteen offices.” April said as she turned left towards the oval office, “Your office will be on the right, after the cabinet room and the office of the presidential secretary.”  
Scully took a peak in the windows of what would be Mary’s office before April opened the double doors of the oval office.  
“When you’re working in the oval office, there will be a marine standing sentry outside. There are only four marines working at a time and they rotate every thirty minutes. We want you to feel safe.”  
“I’m sure the snipers will make us feel safe enough.” Mulder replied looking around the spacious and empty oval room.  
“Yes, they are constantly on guard. Not right now of course.” April said looking at the four men accompanying them on this tour, “But when the office is fully functional.”  
Scully walked over to the three large windows which looked out on the south lawn. Her heart heavy realizing all that was being asked of her she looked up to see the same bird that Melissa pointed to earlier and it seemed to be looking directly at her. After staring at it for what felt like hours, she realized it was a Robin.  
“It’s a Robin…” Scully said, finding herself fascinated with how the bird wouldn’t stop staring at her.  
“I heard seeing one is a sign of good luck.” April added.  
“Good.” Scully chuckled a little to herself, “I’m going to need it.”  
After finishing their tour, Scully and Mulder were escorted back to The Beast II where Mulder got in on the driver’s side and strapped Melissa into the car seat between them. After Scully got in on the passenger side, Mulder reached over to take her hand, resting their clenched fingers on top of Melissa’s lap – who didn’t seem to mind and closed her eyes for a much needed nap.


	16. Inauguration Day 2020 - Part Two

January 20, 2020 – 2:15PM  
After Scully, Mulder and their sleeping daughter were dropped off at the hotel, they had less than four hours to get ready for the Inaugural Ball which started precisely at seven, but due to security they needed to be there by six. Most president elects have a few balls before their inauguration, but due to the circumstances of this election, they felt it best to only have a small one with less than two-hundred guests. They were told it wasn’t the best place to bring a one-year-old child but given they didn’t trust anyone but immediate family to watch their daughter – nor did they expect anyone in their family to miss out on the ball – a beautiful lace red dress was made for Melissa with matching patent leather red Mary Janes – which were thankfully already a size eight and a half.  
The anxiety over the inauguration, which turned to calmness when she walked into the oval office, turned into excitement as they followed the agents off the elevator and onto their floor. Her upper teeth digging into her lower lip, her body felt like it was on fire – in a good way – as Scully watched her husband rock the sleeping child as she rested her head on his shoulder.  
“Are you hungry?” Mulder asked his wife as they hadn’t eaten since breakfast and even then, she didn’t finish her fruit bowl.  
Scully nodded as they waited for the agents to give them the ‘all clear’ for their hotel room. Walking backwards away from her husband’s confused expression, she knocked on the door of her son’s room, as the agent by her door sighed at how much she was already breaking protocol.  
“Hey.” William said as he opened the door. “Are you allowed to knock on doors?”  
“Probably not.” Scully replied, “But I’m sure you’d take care of anyone who tried to harm us.” She said nodding for Mulder to join her.  
“Definitely.” He replied, “So, what’s up?”  
Placing her hands on her daughter’s waist, Scully delicately lifted the child out of her husband’s arms and placed her in William’s in one swift move, “It would really mean a lot if you could just…watch her for about an hour…while your father and I take care of something.”  
“Take care of?” William shook his head as he adjusted the sleeping toddler into a more comfortable position on his shoulder, “Never mind.” He said realizing it was better if he didn’t get any more details.  
“Thank you.” Scully said just as they got the ‘all clear’ that it was safe to enter their rooms.  
“Do you guys…hang out here?” She asked of the four agents.  
“Yes, ma’am.” One replied.  
“Good to know.” She replied as she walked into the hotel room, Mulder right behind her.  
“What do you need to take care of?” Mulder asked as he closed and locked the door behind him.  
Without saying a word, Scully pushed him against the door, her lips on his like the fire she desperately needed to put out. No further explanation needed, Mulder’s hands grabbed her behind, pulling her up as her shoes fell off her feet and he began to walk towards the bedroom, their lips never parting as he lay her on the bed, the kiss deepening as he kicked off his own shoes, and feverishly pulled off his blazer as Scully’s hands moved to his waist, unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants in one swift motion as he waived removing the rest of his clothing to pull off the pantyhose she now wished she hadn’t worn and thrust himself inside of her before he finished prematurely.  
Given there were four men, with guns, two doors away, Scully did her best to stifle her screams of pleasure, but as her nails found their way to Mulder’s behind and dug in – hard – she feared he’d be the one to cause a scene, but clearly was in the same frame of mind as his wife and even though the pain shot through his legs, he kept silent until the final thrust where he removed her hands from his behind, entwined his fingers with hers and closed his eyes as the pleasure coursed through him.  
Upon opening his eyes, he looked down at Scully as she continued to breathe heavily, his fingers squeezing hers as he slowly pulled out, then back in, watching her intently as her body began to shake and she arched her back and clenched around him making the temporary pain he felt worth it as she relaxed and sighed.  
Laying down on his back next to her, Mulder turned to watch as she licked her lips and starred up at the ceiling.  
“Still hungry?” Mulder asked.  
A small smile came over her face, “Yes, but only for food.”  
While Scully was in the shower, Mulder ordered some salads for lunch along with a humus and pita plate. Having changed into a grey t-shirt and adidas running pants, Mulder opened the door to their room to see the four agents standing guard.  
“You guys aren’t paid enough.” He said looking a one a good six inches taller than him, “Is it safe to knock on my son’s door?”  
“Yes.” The man replied, “No one has come or gone in the last hour.”  
Trying not to read into the agent’s words, Mulder simply nodded and walked to his son’s door and knocked.  
“Forty-five minutes, impressive.” William said with a bit of a chuckle.  
“Funny.” Mulder replied pushing past his son into the room, “Where is she?”  
“Watching Judge Judy with Joy.” William said leading his father to the king-sized bed where Joy sat in the middle with a wide-awake Melissa on her lap.  
“Dada!” Melissa squealed at her father as she wiggled her way out of Joy’s hold to her father.  
The feeling Mulder got when he heard ‘dada’ was something he wished he could put in a jar and open on days he was feeling down. His little princess in her pretty white dress crawled into his arms and hugged him tight.  
“Was she good?” Mulder asked tightening his hold on her.  
“Of course.” Joy replied, “Better than any baby I’ve spent time with.”  
“Well...” Mulder said looking down her adorable face, “She’s not really a baby anymore.”  
“She’ll always be your baby.” Joy replied then sighed, “I’m famished, and Heather and Hannah are waiting for us at the restaurant.”  
“Sorry I kept you.” Mulder said, “There was an emergency…”  
“Don’t need the details, dad.” William shivered a bit at the mental picture he gave himself, “But how are you going to handle tonight? Strap her to your back as you dance with your wife?”  
“Basically.” Mulder said adjusting Melissa on his hip, “See you at seven.”  
January 20, 2020 5:55PM  
Her hair pulled up an in elegant bun, her cross hanging perfectly over the neck of her blue ballgown, Scully sat patiently in the back of the Cadillac with her hands clutching the small evening bag which only contained her new phone, her wallet, a compact and a tin of mints. Her husband, looking handsome in his black tux with a fresh shave and smelling like Hugo BOSS sighed as he checked his watch for the tenth time in the last ten minutes. Melissa between them, let out a soft yawn even though she slept from approximately three pm until five fifteen. Strapped in her car seat, she picked at the buckles of her Mary Janes as they all waited to be given permission to leave the vehicle.  
Pulling out the compact, Scully checked to make sure her ten-hour lipstick didn’t smear and that her eyeliner and mascara hadn’t smudged.  
“You look perfect.” Mulder said without even having to look at her, before checking his watch, “Weren’t we supposed to be in there by six?”  
“Yes.”  
“Four minutes.”  
Most inaugurations are held at convention centers, but this small under two-hundred guest affair was being held in the ballroom of The Mansion on O Street. An elegant dinner followed by speeches and dancing and Mulder just hoped the evening ended before the carriage turned back into a pumpkin.  
“Ready to hob nob with the rich and famous?” Mulder asked checking his watch as another minute had passed.  
“I just want this all over so I can actually get to work.” Scully replied closing the compact and placing it back in her bag, “I don’t need a big celebration.”  
“Yes, you do.” Mulder gave her a small smile before fighting the urge to check is watch again.  
Thankfully, the door on his side and Scully’s opened at the same time and he unbuckled Melissa picking her up into his arms before exiting the vehicle.  
Resting Melissa on his left hip, he walked around the car to take his wife’s right hand in his as they made their way to the front door of the mansion.  
Greeted by a young woman wearing a tuxedo shirt, holding a tray of champagne, Mulder let go of his wife’s hand to take a glass and as she did the same. Following the lead of the two agents walking before them, they were led into a large ballroom with thirty-five tables for the one hundred and seventy-five invited guests. There were name cards on each table and Mulder tried to look for specific names on his way up to the main table in front of a small stage where Scully picked up the card reading President Dana Scully and all she could do was sigh, “If this is a dream…I never want to wake up.”  
“Me too.” Mulder replied placing his daughter in the provided highchair in front of the card with her name on it. Each table sat five and the other two places set were for William and Joy.  
“Oops.” Mulder said as he picked up Joy’s card, “Joy Mulder.”  
“A bit presumptuous.” Mulder said as one of the servers came by with the menu selection cards.  
Scully simply smiled as she sat down next to her daughter.  
“Are the other two guests’ vegetarians as well?” The server, who looked to be in her early twenties with bright blue eyes and jet-black hair pulled back into a bun like Scully’s with the name tag reading Monica asked.  
“Yes.” Scully replied looking at the menu card, “And under twenty-one.”  
Monica smiled as she placed the V menu cards as well as the NA drink cards next to William and Joy’s names.  
“Why exactly did we have to come an hour early?” Mulder asked looking around the spacious room, “This feels off.”  
“I’m pretty sure things are going to feel off for the next four years.” Scully said trying to decide if she wanted the Miso Risotto or the Quinoa, Avocado & Sweet Potato Timbale.  
“Until your re-election.”  
“Pretty sure I don’t want to be doing this when I’m in my sixties.”  
“Seriously? You haven’t even started.”  
Scully nodded, “But I’ve already thought it through. Four years is enough. I’m like the transitional president. In four years, they can get a real politician to go back to business as normal. I’m just the mom putting a Band-Aid on the booboo.”  
“I guess I didn’t see it that way. Everyone wants two terms.”  
“Not me.” She said looking at the little one playing with the plastic spoon, “I want to watch her grow up.”  
“Whatever you think is right.” Mulder sighed, “Butterfly salad for me. Radicchio and cabbage with an almond beetroot mayonnaise. How can you go wrong?”  
“Gag.” William’s voice said behind his father as he sat down across from him, Joy doing the same in front of her card when she smiled at before moving it a bit.  
“Sorry about the place card.” Scully said to Joy, “They were a bit presumptuous.”  
Joy nodded a bit as she looked to William who nodded as well before taking a much-needed deep breath, “No, they weren’t.” William replied.  
“What?” Scully and Mulder asked in unison.  
“Today.” William shrugged, “We talked it over, and we didn’t want it to be a big deal that we were living together, and we were going to get married anyway so we just…did.”  
“Today…” Mulder asked…”TO_DAY.”  
“When today?” Scully asked.  
“After the inauguration.” Joy added, “We were already dressed up, so we just went to the DC Superior Court Marriage Bureau and did it.”  
“Since it was a Monday it didn’t take that long, then we just went to a judge and…done.”  
“Kind of like how we did it.” Mulder shook his head in shock and a bit of disappointment that they weren’t there.  
“Just...a little different…” Scully replied in nervous and disappointed laughter looking at Melissa then Joy.  
“I’m not pregnant…I swear.” Joy laughed a bit, staring directly into the wide eyes of her mother-in-law, “We just didn’t want it to be a big deal.”  
“But it is a big deal.” Scully nearly screeched trying not to cry as she looked at the two of them, “We would have wanted to be there!”  
“You mean with twenty secret service agents and possibly the press? No. NOOO thank you.” William shook his head feverishly as he looked at his menu card, “Besides, we weren’t the only ones who got married today.” He remarked looking towards the door as Hannah and Heather followed the usher to the table next to them.  
“Please don’t tell me Matthew and Lucy cancelled their wedding. We already made reservations.” Scully said, her heart heavy with yet another milestone in her son’s life she missed.  
“No, they didn’t.” Joy replied, “They wanted to, because of everything, but Lucy’s mom lost her mind on the phone when she discussed it so, no. The giant wedding next month is still planned. “  
“So…” Mulder looked over at the two women sitting next to each other looking at their menu cards, “When you said Hannah and Heather were waiting for you in the restaurant…”  
Joy nodded and smiled, “To celebrate.”  
Mulder looked back over at his son. His eighteen-year-old son he had only gotten to know in the last year and watched as he picked up his water glass with his left hand and the silver ring now on his finger, “Wow…how did I not notice that four hours ago.”  
“He just got it.” Joy replied, “It wasn’t sized right. We ran back to the mall to pick it up and then came right here as we feared we’d be late if we went back to the hotel.”  
“I guess I don’t know what to say other than congratulations.” Mulder said picking up his champagne glass before nodding to the two women at the other table with their glasses, “Heather, Hannah…I believe the two of you need to get in on this?”  
The two women, who were practically glowing, picked up their glasses and walked over to the table.  
“To new beginnings and adventures…whatever awaits us.” He said before their glasses clinked.  
By seven-thirty all the other guests had arrived. Lucy and Matthew were seated at the table with Heather and Hannah, Bill, Tara and Jeffrey were seated at another table with a card for Marita and another card for an Alexandria Covarrubias who had not yet arrived. Approximately ten minutes after the servers took their orders, Mulder watched as Marita was being led down the center aisle with a young woman. He didn’t recognize the young lady in the long-sleeved black dress and grey scarf, her blonde hair pulled back into an elegant ponytail as the male usher pulled out her chair for the young lady to sit down directly adjacent to him, and next to his brother-in-law, but there was something familiar about the woman’s face. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.  
“Did Marita ever mention having a daughter?” Mulder asked Scully as she had spent more time with Marita.  
“Not that I recall.” Scully said turning a bit to see the woman Mulder was looking at.  
Feeling eyes on her, Allie looked up to see an older man looking at her quizzically, “Why is he staring at me?” Allie asked her mother.  
Marita looked up from her menu to see Mulder’s eyes on the two of them before she rolled her own, “He knew your father.”  
“Oh.” Allie replied, “I never met his friends.”  
“I didn’t say they were friends.” Marita sighed before getting up, “Might as well get this over with.” She said patting her daughter on the back to follow her to the main table.  
“Marita.” Scully said, “It’s so nice to see you again.” she said given the lack of communication in the last few weeks had her more than a bit concerned.  
“Yes, Dana…” Marita replied working up the courage as she took her daughter’s hand, “This is Allie.”  
“Hi Allie.” The entire table - except for Melissa who was busy with her plastic spoon – greeted the young woman in unison.  
“My daughter.” Marita let out a small sigh of relief as Allie gave a shy and slight wave to the table.  
“Daughter.” Scully nodded as Mulder continued to look at the young woman in wonder.  
“Alex’s …” Marita added, “In case it wasn’t obvious.”  
Mulder’s mouth opened, but nothing came out as he fought for words to say that weren’t…insulting.  
“We’ll go back to our table now.” Marita said as she walked her daughter back to their table.  
“I think I’ve had enough shocks for the day.” Scully sighed before finishing her champagne.  
Dinner was served by eight, by nine plates were being cleared and coffee being served as various people Scully had never met made speeches about what they’d like to see her accomplish in the next four years. Making mental notes, while simultaneously feeling the beginning of an ulcer developing, Scully excused herself to the ladies’ room after the last speech and before tables would be broken down for the end of the dinner dancing.  
Exiting the ladies’ room – which had to be inspected first by one of her female agents who then stood by the door as she did her business – Scully noticed Marita standing alone at the end of the dark hallway. “Marita?” Scully called out to her causing the woman to jump a bit, “What are you doing?” Holding up the phone in her hand, Marita then dropped it into her bag and sighed as she rested her head against the wall.  
Sensing more was up with Marita than just a simple phone call, Scully walked over to the woman easily noticing her red eyes and puffy face, “What’s wrong?”  
“You wouldn’t understand.” Marita replied as she felt the tough exterior, she had always portrayed, cracking around her.  
“Try me.” Scully replied walking closer, “We have so much more in common now.”  
A nervous chuckle escaping her lips, Marita wiped her eyes, “Yeah, well… I guess that’s true.”  
“Why didn’t you tell us, me, that you had a child?” Scully asked, her voice low, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”  
“Alex Krycek’s child isn’t something to be ashamed of?” her nervous chuckle turning into a bit of a cry. “No.” Scully replied, “But I didn’t know you two were…close.”  
Marita shrugged as she shook her head a bit, “He had his demons, but he could be a wonderful man…or maybe it was just finally getting the bad boy. I’m not sure, but I loved him. I did.” She said as if a giant weight had been lifted off his chest, “And then he just…. disappeared.”  
“I know how that feels.” Scully replied sympathetically.  
“But Mulder came back.” Marita quickly snapped, “Alex isn’t going to just show up in a field.”  
“I’m sorry.” Scully replied realizing quickly that she herself could have been in the exact same position Marita found herself in. “But why didn’t you reach out?”  
“Shame?” Marita replied as she shrugged her shoulders, “Fear? I’m not sure. I moved back to Maryland where my father was. He helped us until I had to move to England. I was able to put Allie in a good school and everything was fine until she got sick.”  
“Sick how?”  
Realizing it was probably good to finally come clean to someone about this, Marita swallowed the large lump of shame and just let it go, “My daughter is a schizophrenic.”  
It wasn’t just the words; it was how she said it. Scully could feel the pain in Marita’s voice over her child’s illness and she knew another ‘I’m sorry’ wouldn’t cut it. Instead, she just let Marita speak. Let go of all the pain and shame.  
“She was such a happy baby and little girl. Her IQ tested at 160 when she was only twelve, but then the delusions started. She beat up a classmate claiming she was spreading lies and threatening to kill her, then I caught her in bed with a boy.” Marita closed her eyes, “Apparently my twelve-year-old princess was the school bully and slut. The next year she was diagnosed with bipolar depression and I was able to find her some good doctors and medication and she was doing well. Even when we had to move to England, and I enrolled her in boarding school she was thriving. I thought she’d be ok, until she stole her roommate’s pain medication and downed the entire bottle. Sixteen. She was in the hospital for a month, I was back in the states and had to take a leave of absence to be with her. Thankful that I had such an understanding supervisor at the time.”  
“I thought you were working for Mulder’s father…” Scully replied confused.  
“Carl wasn’t my direct supervisor…. he worked on the project, but I didn’t report to him.” Marita replied, “Carl didn’t know about any of this. Not that he would have cared. Bastard always saw me as a lab rat.”  
“Me too.”  
“No, Dana. You were the special one. I told you that. Everything that has happened was because of how much he cherished YOU and only you. It was perverse how much that man wished he was his own son.” Marita looked down at her phone as it buzzed then placed it back in her phone, “Anyway, Allie was diagnosed with schizophrenia six months after her sixteenth birthday and I thought she was on a good treatment plan until…” Marita’s phone buzzed again and she picked it up, looked over Scully’s shoulder, then nodded and placed it back in her bag.  
Curious, Scully looked behind her – past the two agents blocking the hallway – to see Mulder dancing with Melissa on his hip and other’s dancing as well before turning back to Marita.  
“Until?” Scully said as Marita typed something into her phone.  
“Three weeks ago, when she tied to commit suicide.” Marita said so calmly, “Again.”  
Instead of another ‘I’m sorry,’ Scully nodded sympathetically, “That was the family emergency.”  
“She only had two semesters of school left and now she’s been expelled, and I can’t let her out of my watch for fear she’ll try it again.”  
“Is she taking anything?”  
“She sees a doctor twice a week, and I just got her into a long dosing trial for a new medication. She claims it makes her numb, but as long as she’s not hearing voices my hope is, she won’t try to end her life; a life that is essentially now ruined.”  
“No life is ruined, Marita. You said she has a 160 IQ. That’s what experts believed Einstein would have tested at.”  
“She doesn’t even have a high school diploma, let alone college.”  
“She can get her GED and college isn’t for everyone.” Scully had recently discovered through the intelligent people she had met who never finished or even attempted higher education. “Your daughter has a chance. You can’t give up on her.”  
“I haven’t.” Marita replied defensively, “I’m just worried about her and I’ve been assigned as your White House Counsel. How can I do my job if I have to worry about her every second of the day?”  
Given the situation, and the fact that not all staff positions had been finalized, Scully decided to give it a shot, “You will need an assistant.”  
“I’ve already been assigned one. His name is Gary, he graduated from Georgetown last year and he smells like cheese. Blue. Cheese.” Marita gave a small reassuring smile to Scully, “I appreciate your offer to help, I do…”  
“We’ll find a spot for her.”  
“But at eight am tomorrow I have to be in the West Wing Annex. I can’t babysit my eighteen-year-old daughter.”  
“Ok, how about this.” Scully said as Marita’s phone buzzed again, “Why don’t you drop her off at our temporary housing where she can spend the day with other eighteen-year-olds who know what it’s like to be different.”  
Feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks when it came to the wellbeing of her child, Marita nodded, “I think we’d all like that.” She said sighing heavily, “Thank you, Dana.” She finished before pulling out her phone, turning around to face the wall and waiting for the person who kept buzzing her phone to pick up.  
With the exhausted one-year old sleeping in her brother’s arms, William and Joy stood by the wall as they watched his parents and everyone else slow dance to classical music he didn’t know.  
“I think they’re upset.” Joy said playing with the two rings on her left finger.  
“I know.” William replied, “But it was the best way.” He said watching her, “Have you talked to your mom?”  
Joy shook her head, “No, she was out when I tried to call earlier and just now it went straight to voicemail. I don’t want to leave it on a voicemail or text, but I hope she’s ok.”  
William’s eyes were watching the agents who were watching his parents as one walked over and whispered something in Scully’s ear. His eyes on them he watched as she nodded, and followed the agents out of his view, Mulder following her.  
“Where do you think they’re going?” Joy asked William.  
“Don’t know, but they don’t look worried…”  
“That’s good.”  
The four agents led Scully and Mulder to the elevators where they got on with the couple – leaving very little room for anyone else – as one pressed the button for the second floor. All Scully was told was that they needed to meet with someone. Not she, they, and as she kept hold of her husband’s hand, she had a bit of trepidation over who or what would meet them on the other side of the elevator.  
Two other agents were waiting outside a door as they were walked off the elevator. The agents nodded to one another as the door opened and Scully and Mulder were instructed to walk into a room where a man stood before a chest of drawers with his back to them.  
Her nails gripping Mulder’s hand, Scully felt a tinge of fear that they had been set up and the tall barrowing man only five feet in front of them was the last person they wanted to see.  
“It’s been some time.” The man said, his back to the couple.  
The voice was familiar, but Scully couldn’t place it.  
“Have we met before?” She asked the man, feeling a bit more secure in knowing it wasn’t whom she feared.  
“Our last meeting was on May 14, 1994.” The man replied as he turned to them.  
The receding widow’s peak hairline with the remaining gray hairs slicked back. Deep set blue eyes behind wire rimmed glasses. Only two words escaped Scully as she looked up at the older man before her.  
“Deep throat.”  
Mulder – his eyes, frozen open in shock, fear, and uncertainty - slowly began to shake his head, “It can’t be…”  
The man, nodding at the two stunned individuals before him, let out a deep breath as he crossed his arms over his Armani tux, “As I said, it’s been some time.”  
“But...” Scully shook her head, “I watched you die.”  
“Yes, that’s what you were supposed to see.” He said looking at her, “It was all staged.”  
“And I attended your funeral at Arlington from one-thousand yards with eight-power binoculars. I was also suspended for over a month.”  
“Yes...”  
“Without pay.”  
“The circumstances were not ideal I must say.”  
“Ronald Pakula.” Mulder added, the name he only came to know two years earlier, “Where have you been the last twenty-six years?”  
“Around.” He replied, “And please, call me Jefferson.”  
Directing them to follow him to a table in the corner of the room, Ronald – now Jefferson – sat down as Mulder and Scully sat across from him.  
“Am I allowed to be this close to you?” Mulder asked, partially joking, but mostly not.  
“By all accounts, Ronald Pakula is dead.” Jefferson replied, “After a month in hiding I realized it was for the best. Everything I had seen and done, it was as if I was given a clean slate and able to keep an eye on those who were working against me.”  
“My father.” Mulder replied.  
Jefferson nodded, “I knew one day he would stab me in the back, so I took care of it before he had the chance. This, freedom, allowed me to work in the shadows, seeing what he was planning and doing what I could to…disrupt those plans. Revenge, Mr. Mulder, is a dish best served cold. Ice. Cold.”  
“Colonization…” Scully asked, “It never happened.”  
“It was never going to. The aliens never wanted this broken planet, but it was best to make Carl and the others believe they did. I thought I was through with him in 2002, but like a cockroach he seemed to survive every attempt on his life. When he started the coalition in 2017, I stayed in the shadows watching his every move. Waiting for the day I could finally come out into the light.”  
“When he was finally dead.” Mulder leaned back and sighed.  
“I knew, in the end, the only one who could truly take his life was the one who he had given life.” Jefferson stated, looking directly at Mulder, “Am I mistaken?”  
Mulder shook his head and looked down. That night weighed on him heavily, even though he knew it was the right thing to do, he never felt right taking a life, let alone his biological father.  
“It was justified.” Scully said, taking her husband’s hand under the table and gently squeezing it, “Mulder had no choice.”  
“I know.” Jefferson replied, “and because of that choice Mulder saved millions of people.”  
“How?” Mulder asked, “One third of the population of the United States was…vaporized.”  
“If your father had his way, it would have been two thirds.” Jefferson took a moment to look out the small window to his right, taking in the night sky, the curtains blocking the couple sitting across from him. “The date had been set for some time, but once the other countries had put their plans on hold – looking at the United State as a test case – Carl became greedy. It was no longer about creating a better country; it became about creating a greedy one. Selling the vaccine to the highest bidders. He had raked in close to one-hundred million dollars before his death.”  
“Then why’d I only get fifty?” Mulder blurted out not realizing what he had said.  
“My guess is the rest is hidden somewhere. Or he had to pay people off. You never know with Carl. All I do know is he was in deep with the vaccine and the people with more money than they knew what to do with. I didn’t even want to think about this world he was creating. While he had put people in place to create a database of those worth saving, at the same time he was planning on only allowing those who paid to survive the event.”  
“Playing both sides.” Scully added.  
“He was good at that.” Mulder sighed as he hated even being reminded of the monster that he shared DNA with.  
“We wanted to save scientists, doctors, people who could HELP us create a better country and world. I hate to think what would have happened if you hadn’t eliminated him, or if he had found your son.”  
There was a collective moment of silence as those sitting at the antique cherry table thought about the alternative, “So…” Scully asked softly, realizing her part in all of this, “What’s the plan now?”  
“Plan?” Jefferson asked.  
“You clearly revealed yourself for a reason and on today of all days. This has to have something to do with my new…position.”  
“If you don’t believe you were elected in a free and honest election, don’t be. You were. Every single vote was counted, and you won. We chose three highly qualified candidates and would have been pleased with any of them winning, but I think the voters made the right choice.”  
Scully nodded, the self-doubt which had plagued her since she received the initial phone call preventing her from feeling excited and proud of her victory, “I couldn’t help but wonder.”  
“Of course, Carl’s plan was to instill your son in a Banana Republic regime…acting as a puppet master. The thought still sickens me.”  
“William may have had his problems, but he’s a good man.” Scully replied, “He would have never allowed that to happen.”  
“I believe you; I also believe it would have been more likely if you two didn’t find him first. I’m aware of all your son did before he found you, and I do believe people can change, but never forget he was essentially programed to…kill.”  
Scully closed her eyes, knowing all her son had been through and wishing every day she could go back in time and prevent all of that from happening, “I’ll never believe that.”  
Realizing it was probably best to keep what he knew about their son to himself, Jefferson decided to change the subject, “The reason I have, revealed myself, is to prepare you for what comes next.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“The world continues to be a broken place and until we correct this, nothing will change. The United States has a chance to be looked at as a model…or a warning. That what happened here can happen anywhere if people do not change their ways. This country has been given a chance to start over. To no longer allow those with too much money and power to dictate how the others shall live. With your administration and those who have been elected to congress we can make the necessary changes. No more tax loop holes, higher minimum wage, free healthcare. It’s now possible.”  
“I take it insurance company CEOs didn’t exactly make it…” Mulder said.  
“Millionaires who have contributed to society did, those who profited off destruction did not, and their wealth was redistributed to where it was needed most. We had some of the best hackers in the world working behind the scenes. Trillions of dollars are available to you. As it stands, we may even be able to bring manufacturing back to this country.”  
“Sounds like a fairytale.” Mulder said in a cynical tone, “I’m sorry, but it doesn’t feel possible.”  
“Aren’t you the one who wants to believe?” Scully gave a small smile to her husband, “we have to at least try…”  
Jefferson nodded, “It’s late and you have a lot of work to do. Marita has my contact information if you need anything please do not hesitate to reach out.”  
“Are you the one she was texting with earlier?” Scully asked as she stood up from the table.  
“Yes.” Jefferson replied, “She’s been like a daughter to me, and that daughter of hers…such a troubled soul. Sadly, all the money in the world cannot fix a broken mind.”  
Confused Mulder looked to his wife who said she’d fill him in later.  
Scully and Mulder returned to the main room where their son and daughter-in-law seemed to be running on fumes. Melissa, asleep in her brother’s arms, felt like a bag of cement as William felt his arms were going to fall off and let out a sigh of relief as his father took her out of his arms.  
“Is everything ok?” Joy asked as a yawn escaped her lips.  
“It will be.” Scully replied looking up at her husband as the Secret Service led them out of the building.


	17. The First Official Week

Tuesday, January 21, 2020   
On limited sleep, the Mulder family checked out of the hotel at six am to be escorted back to their temporary housing with enough time for Scully to take a much-needed shower and arrive at the West Wing Annex by eight am. Her shadows in tow, she was given the good news that there was a rush on the White House being ready for them by the weekend. As unenthusiastic as she was about moving, again, she was thankful they would soon be heading to their proper home for the next four years.  
Mulder, with way too much free time on his hands and not wanting to annoy the secret service, locked himself in their temporary bedroom with his laptop and decided to start working on a children’s book about two children named Fox and Dana and their detective club. First case, finding out who stole Jimmy Smith’s lunch money.  
It was a work in progress.  
Melissa, content on the bed next to her father with her own tablet, her own pink wireless noise reduction headphones with limited volume, watching Sesame Street videos  
Her mind in twenty different places, Joy sat in the middle of the king-sized bed with her laptop watching her BIO 60 professor go on and on about various approaches to battle infectious diseases. Her fingers constantly playing with the two rings on her finger, her eyes moved from the screen to the door in front of her as she heard Heather and Hannah’s voices and then the voice of another woman she didn’t know. Getting up from the bed, and Professor Boring, she walked into the main room to see the blonde woman from the night before as a pain of jealousy hit her.  
“Hey.” She said to the crowd of three women and one man; that one man being her husband.  
“I thought you had your make up class from yesterday?” William said.  
Most of her classes were on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but BIO 60, BIO 45 and BIO 84 were her three long Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes and due to the inauguration, the professors had taped their lectures and emailed them to her, so she didn’t get too behind. She had to squeeze them in between her Tuesday Thursday classes of MATH 51, BIO 46, STATS60, and BIO 82. Her class load made her grateful she had covered her physics, chemistry and math AP requirements in high school.  
“I’m done.” She lied, which she knew William could tell, “What are you all doing today?”  
“We’re going to head down to the National Gallery of Art and do some ice skating at their rink. Maybe lunch later.” Heather said to Joy, “Allie said she’s never been ice skating so it should be fun.”  
“I’ve never been ice skating…” Joy replied feeling as if she was missing out on so much.  
William could see the hurt in her eyes and voice, “I can stay home. I don’t have to go.”  
“But if you do, we get secret service protection.” Hannah added, “Nieces apparently don’t count.”  
“No, you should go. Have fun. I’ll just be in my room…learning stuff.” Joy said in a dejected tone as she turned around and went back to the room, closing the door behind her.  
“Well, now you KNOW I can’t go.” William replied taking off his coat and tossing it on the couch.  
“We could always stay here, play some board games or something.” Hannah said, even though she was looking forward to ice skating, the guilt over leaving Joy behind was just too much.  
“We don’t have any.” William replied, “We left them all in Colorado.”  
“Stores do exist, William. How about we pick some up on the way back from skating. Maybe stay up late playing Monopoly. You think Joy would like that?” Heather added  
“YES!” a voice came from behind the bedroom door.  
“I think that’s a yes.” William picked up his jacket and walked over to the bedroom door opening it and looking at the woman behind the computer, “Are you sure I can go?”  
“I’m not your mother.” Joy replied as she scribbled onto a spiral notebook, “Just go. I have to call my mom later anyway.”  
William nodded, “Text me if you need anything.”  
“Fine.” You replied as she focused on the professor and never wanted four years of her life to go by so fast.  
By noon, Dana and Fox and discovered that Frannie Flanders and stolen Jimmy’s money because she couldn’t afford a lunch of her own. Jimmy, whose father owned the biggest toy store in town, told his parents what had happened and they decided to send him to school with twice as much lunch money to cover he and Frannie.  
Feeling happy with his feel-good story and given the little one next to him had a rumbling tummy, he turned off Elmo and picked the little girl up to carry her to the kitchen for lunch.  
Waiting patiently in her highchair, Melissa watched as her father narrated his way through the kitchen. First, you take the bread out of the wrapper, then you open the peanut butter, THEN you take the KNIFE and put it IN the peanut butter, all in a happy, sing song voice which amused the toddler. With his back turned as he went to the refrigerator to take out the grape jelly, Mulder turned to see he had another member of the audience.  
“Hey, Joy.” He said as he placed the glass jar of organic jelly on the counter. “I thought everyone went ice skating?” he continued as he opened the jar and tried to avoid eye contact to prevent any further embarrassment given his peanut butter performance.  
“Class.” Joy sighed, her arms crossed as she watched him slab the jelly onto the four pieces of peanut butter covered bread, “Peanut butter and jelly?”  
“It’s simple and quick.” Mulder replied as he slammed two pieces together before cutting the sandwich into four parts, “You want one?”  
“Sure.” Joy sighed as she leaned up against the wall, “Haven’t felt like eating much.”  
“It’s been a crazy week…. year.” Mulder replied as he placed the plate in front of Melissa who quickly picked up one of the squares to eat.  
“Tell me about it.” Joy replied as she watched the little one eat on her own, “She’s. One.”  
Mulder beamed at his child, “She amazes me more every day.”  
“You’re not afraid for her?”  
“Of course, I am. Like any father would be.” Mulder replied as he took out another couple pieces of bread for Joy.  
“That she’s going to turn out like...us.”  
“Would that be so bad?” Mulder said to the bread before he looked at Joy, “I’ll love her no matter what.”  
Joy nodded as she realized her words were taken the wrong way, “I know we weren’t…born this way…so there’s no way to guarantee she will be like us, but William worries.”  
“That’s understandable.” Mulder replied as he finished making Joy’s sandwich and handing her the small oval plate, “But you look like something else is on your mind.”  
Joy nodded as she picked at the crust on the wheat bread, “Do you ever have regrets?”  
“Plenty.” Mulder groaned as he cut his own sandwich in half. “But you’re too young to have any real regrets.”  
“Oh, I do.”  
“Kind of like getting married without telling anyone?”  
Shaking her head, Joy looked directly at the man standing above the sink eating his peanut butter and jelly sandwich, “No, that’s probably the one decision in my life I made on my own.”  
“I take it your freshman year of college isn’t exactly going well.”  
“If by going well I’m stressed out and anxious every second of every day, then yes…it’s going quite well. Yesterday was the first day I didn’t have to think about it. I could just enjoy myself and do what I wanted to do.” Joy felt her stomach clenching up and placed the plate on the counter, “Until I met William, well was reunited with him I suppose, my life was planned out. Get good grades, graduate, go to college, become a doctor. The end. Now, I just don’t want that anymore.”  
“What do you want?” Mulder asked as he was genuinely curious.  
“That’s the thing, I don’t know.” Joy said as she felt the tears building, “Marrying William was the only thing I really wanted and now…”  
Mulder had spent years training how to get into the head of a serial killer, but no amount of training could help him get into the head of a scared teenage girl.  
“You’re only eighteen. You have plenty of time to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.” Mulder said in a encouraging tone, “I know everything feels so overwhelming right now and you want to just put life on pause, but unfortunately we don’t have those options. I don’t know what to tell you to make you feel better, but I do know whatever decision you make we will support you.”  
“You won’t be disappointed in me if I don’t become a doctor?”  
Mulder shook his head and gave Joy a reassuring smile, “Scully might be, but she’d understand given she’s been in the same place you are right now.”  
“Did you ever doubt yourself?” Joy asked, “You seem so self-assured all the time.”  
“It’s a good front. I doubt myself constantly, we all do, and if you don’t that means you’ve got bigger problems.” Mulder said as he put the peanut butter away, “Now, you need to eat and probably get back to your classes while I need to find what to do with myself without my other half.”  
“A little codependent are we?” Joy smiled up at Mulder as she picked up her plate and he picked Melissa up and out of her high chair.  
“Only for one person.”  
Scully expected her day to be exciting, but as the clock ticked closer to six she found herself once again missing chasing a swamp monster or supposed alien. Alex would be busy swearing in the new members of the congress and senate and she was given an iPad and fifty files of prospective Supreme Court justices and every single one seemed more boring than the previous candidate. She needed to narrow it down to twenty-five who she would then meet with at the actual White House next week. Her official schedule this week – which was now documented for the world to see – was simply reviewing judges. Period.  
What she would give for a spaceship to land in front of her.  
As the umpteenth yawn escaped her lips, giving Hillary Gold a blue check to meet with the next week, she opened the next file and upon seeing the name and face, the tablet dropped from her hands onto her lap.  
Jason Crowley.  
Flash back to May 17, 1980.  
Junior Prom.  
Dana, in her magenta polyester dress with the heart shape neck line and very pretty puff sleeves with a bow on each, along with her Farah Fawcett red hair and enough Aqua Net to hold it in place. Jason, in his white tux and black tie along with the rest of the can of Aqua Net to keep his blonde feathered hair in place. He didn’t exactly have a mullet, but he was very close to achieving one. They spent the evening dancing to Funkytown and Celebration and the night making out to Call Me.  
To this day that song still sent tingles down her spine.   
They only dated for about a year, breaking up the summer before their senior year as Jason seemed to care more about getting a football scholarship to Princeton then remembering to pick her up for their Saturday date nights. The final straw was when she was forced to sit through Urban Cowboy with a large popcorn and Coke and no problem finishing each. The next day she told Jason to never bother calling her again and proceeded to cry on her sister’s shoulder for the rest of the evening.  
“Ms. Scully, it’s time to go.” Her new agent Paxton – a very tall and attractive black man who reminded her of Michael B Jordan – informed her.  
“Yes.” She replied shaking her head out of the daze about Jason before giving him a blue check mark – if anything she wanted an explanation for Urban Cowboy.  
The house smelled like marinara sauce as Scully entered her temporary lodgings, her betrothed rushing to take her coat and hang it on the rack before taking her hand and walking her to the dining table, where he then pulled out the chair for her and filled the wine glass before her with a freshly opened bottle of merlot.  
Smiling at the apron he was wearing with the phrase “All This…AND I CAN COOK!” Scully shook her head a bit as she watched him practically bounce into the kitchen before bringing out a plate of delicious smelling lasagna he placed between her knife and fork before returning to the kitchen, hanging the apron on the hook by the doorway – a move that may have impressed Scully more than the lasagna in front of her – and pulling out the chair to the right of her with his own plate of lasagna.  
“It just came out of the oven so it may still be hot.” Mulder warned his wife as he poured his own glass of wine.  
“You made this…” she said placing her napkin on her lap.  
“Of course. It was pretty funny having groceries delivered and then inspected by two secret service agents, but they left me alone to cook.”  
“Where’s Missy?” Scully asked realizing how quiet the house seemed.  
“Sleeping. She missed her afternoon nap, so after giving her some of the cut up veggies and some fruit, cheese and bread she was out about ten minutes before you got home.”  
“William and Joy?”  
“Out. On a very much needed…date.” Mulder shook his head as he picked up his fork, “ They were going to stay in and play Monopoly with Heather, Hannah and Allie, but Hannah had a headache so they called it a night. The secret service had to actually call the restaurant ahead of time and book a table in a secure area.”  
“I don’t see a lot of outside dates in our future.” Scully replied as she picked up her glass, “But I know you’re ok with that.”  
“Very.” Mulder replied, “I did check in with the cameras at the house in Colorado though. I put so much time and money into it I wanted to make sure it was still standing.”  
“I hope it is.”  
Mulder nodded, “Everything’s still in it’s place. By the time we get back Missy will be in school…I never thought of that when I had the place built.”  
Scully nodded, “We didn’t think we’d get a second chance.”  
Mulder sighed, “We’ll find something. There have to be schools that aren’t too far away.”  
“Or…” Scully took a deep breath, “We could stay here.”  
“Here?” Mulder asked, “Here…”  
“The general area. A lot of memories are here.”  
“Bad ones.”  
“And good ones. Lots of good ones. You had that house built when you thought the world was ending. It didn’t. We don’t need to hide anymore.”  
“We may want to in four years.”  
“True, but what would be so horrible about finding a nice place in a gated community where Missy could go to school. Make friends…”  
Mulder nodded, “I’ll think about it.”  
“That’s all I can ask.” Scully smiled as she picked up her fork and knife “The White House has chefs, so we’re going to have to find you other…hobbies.”  
Mulder nodded as he also picked up his fork and knife, “Well, I did venture into writing a bit today.”  
“Oh?” Scully replied before taking a bite of the lasagna and moaning a bit as the hit of fennel hit her taste buds. She had been telling him he needed to write science fiction, or crime novels for years and the fact that he finally felt inspired to do so made her, in a word, happy.  
Feeling a bit of pride in her reaction to his homemade-really-got-it-from-a-vegetarian-cookbook lasagna, Mulder took his own bite – pleasantly surprised at how good it was himself – before continuing, “I thought it might be fun to start writing children’s books. Maybe take some of what we’ve experienced the last twenty plus years into kid friendly stories.”  
“Not sure much of what we’ve experienced is very kid friendly.” Scully replied as she took another sip of wine.  
“Well, my first story was a feel good one about a little boy who finds out his lunch money was being stolen by little girl whose family was struggling to make ends meet and in the end he helps her out.”  
“That is a feel good story.” Scully replied thankful that he found a way to entertain himself.”  
“It’s a start. Maybe I could make it a series. So far I’m going with the title Fox and Dana’s Detective Club.”  
“From the guy who hates his first name.”  
“It’s growing on me.” Mulder shrugged as he took a larger sip of wine, “Been nearly sixty years. The idea just came to me; eight-year-old best friends Fox and Dana decide to start a detective club in Fox’s treehouse. Kid’s pay them a dollar to solve mysteries…or sometimes they do it for free. I’m still noodling that part out. I do know that I want it to have illustrations as I was picturing those in my mind while writing, I just need to find someone who can draw.”  
As the wine numbed her mind and the food filled her stomach, Mulder’s words quickly reminded her of something, “Hannah!”  
“Hannah?”  
“I remember she mentioned that the reason she was working at Disneyworld as The Little Mermaid was because she wanted to go into animation. You should reach out to her.”  
“I definitely will. I do recall she said they were staying in town for the week. I’ll see if I can meet with her tomorrow and hash something out before they leave.”  
“I’m sure she’d love that.” Scully replied as she watched Mulder pull his phone out, swipe the screen while staring at it for a moment, then put it back in his back pocket, “What was that about?” she asked concerned.  
“Just a sound alert on the camera in Melissa’s room. I didn’t see anything weird so maybe she’s just talking in her sleep.”  
“And what did she do today while you were writing?”  
“Absorbing a lot of Big Bird and Elmo.”  
“I don’t think it’s healthy for her to have so much screen time.”  
“She’s fine. She had the kid headphones on and I did hear her repeating things, which is good for her development. I also spent a good hour with her and the flash cards.”  
“Good.” Scully sighed, “Can you make sure she has a nap tomorrow so I can at least spend a bit of time with her when I get home?”  
Mulder nodded, “Of course. Speaking of which, are you even able to tell me what you did today or is everything classified now?”  
Scully shrugged, “I don’t recall anyone saying it was. The public schedule had me looking over prospective Supreme Court justices which is exactly what I spent the day doing.” She said before picking up her glass of wine and letting out a small chuckle, “Which included an ex-boyfriend.”  
“Really?” Mulder replied a bit intrigued as well as jealous given it was just an automatic feeling at this point, “Ex from how long ago?”  
Scully took a large sip of wine before swallowing, “Junior year of high school.”  
“And you remembered him?”  
“It’s not like I had a lot of boyfriends, Fox…”  
“I didn’t mean to assume.” Mulder apologized, “Just that, so long ago-“  
“Thanks.” She replied in a flat yet annoyed tone.  
“ANYWAY.” Mulder replied defensively, “If it was just for a year….that’s what I meant.”  
“You don’t forget your first.”  
“First what?”  
Scully looked her husband dead in the eyes, staring at him like a lion at it’s prey, “First.” She repeated herself.  
He repeated ‘first’ to himself, before he realized what she was referring to, “OHH!” he exclaimed before needing another large sip of wine and finishing the glass.  
Watching her husband’s reaction to a boyfriend from over thirty years ago did bring a smile to her lips, but of course another question came to mind, “Do you remember your first?”  
Mulder nodded as he picked up the bottle of Merlot and poured himself another glass, “Lisa Maxwell.”  
“And how old were you?” Scully asked as she began to take another sip of her wine.  
“Fourteen.” Mulder replied in a nonchalant tone.  
Nearly choking on the wine, Scully placed the glass back down as she worked on regaining the ability to swallow before yelling, “FOURTEEN!?”  
Mulder shushed his wife, pointing to the ceiling as he took another bite of the lasagna before it got too cold.  
“I’m sorry, but fourteen?”  
“I believe we’ve already discussed this …many MANY moons ago.”  
“Maybe I was so shocked I …shocked the memory out of my brain.”  
“It wasn’t that big of a deal, I was going to basketball camp, SHE was going to basketball camp and we didn’t want to say goodbye so…”  
“I don’t need the details of your sordid teenage conquests.”  
“It was far from sordid.” Mulder replied, the hurt in his voice clearly evident, “We grew up together. We honestly felt we would be together forever.”  
“Well, what happened to prevent that?” Scully asked trying to contain her own hurt as if she was just a runner up prize so many years later.  
“She was hit by a car on her way to school our senior year.” Mulder replied before taking a deep breath and taking an extra-large sip of wine. “Killed instantly.”  
“I’m sorry.” Scully replied realizing how petty and childish she had sounded.   
“It was a long time ago.”  
“But this is the first time you’ve mentioned her name. I’m sure of it.”  
“Maybe it’s been too hard.” Mulder said looking down at the meal which was no longer appealing given the memories which had been brought up, “She died, I applied to Oxford. End of story.” He said forcing the last bit of lasagna into his mouth before swallowing it down with the second glass of wine, “I need to clean up, just bring your dishes into the kitchen when you’re done.” He said walking past Scully with his dishes and no further communication.  
With Mittens at the end of the toddler bed where Melissa slept, Scully slowly entered her daughter’s room just to spend a few minutes with her. She was already growing up way too fast and even in the last twelve hours seemed to have grown a bit more. Kneeling down by the bed, Scully looked over at the height chart she had started and hadn’t added to since that first morning in their temporary home. Looking back at her child, tucked tightly under the pink teddy bear sheets, her auburn locks covering her closed eyes, Scully gently pushed back a few strands of hair just to be able to get a better look at the child she never thought she would have and quickly remembering the dream with an older Melissa and two other children she didn’t believe were possible.  
“I love you so much…” Scully whispered to the sleeping toddler, “For years I prayed for another chance to be a mother. I promised God if I was given another child I would do everything I could to make this world a better place for her. Maybe that’s why you were born on Christmas Day…and maybe that’s why I was elected to a position I never saw myself in. Maybe everything does happen for a reason…” she said leaning over and kissing Melissa on the forehead before letting out a small sigh, “I will make this a better world…” she said as she felt tears starting to build up and wanting to stop them before waking her child.  
Standing up she wiped her eyes and as she turned to the door saw another figure standing there, his own eyes glassy as he stepped back to give her room to exit, closing the door behind her.  
“I fell in love with you the moment I met you.” Mulder whispered to his wife, “I know that sounds corny and implausible, but it’s true. My heart skipped a beat when Dana Scully walked into my basement office and I’ve been grateful every day of my life that you did.”  
The tears still falling Scully nodded, “Me too.”  
As the rest of the week went by, Mulder got used to never being alone. His wife was picked up every day by eight, he would then get Melissa up and dressed and in her highchair for breakfast by nine which is generally when William would awaken and wander into the kitchen looking for something to eat which he never wanted. Joy would spend the day locked in their bedroom with her laptop and regret.  
The only ‘excitement’ in the week came when they were asked to choose museum pieces to place in the White House. Scully looked over the website like when she was a kid with the Sears Toy Catalog. There was a painting of Elizabeth Blackwell – the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States as well as being one of the first advocates for women pursuing a medical education. Even tough she was a native of Great Britain, Scully immediately chose the painting to hang in the oval office as Elizabeth was always a personal hero to her.  
“There’s a Babe Ruth bust!” Mulder said as they lay in bed looking over the catalog on her iPad.  
“And where would we put that?” Scully asked her husband honestly curious where he thought a bust of ‘Babe’ would be appropriate in The White House.  
“He’s an American Hero. We’ll find a spot.”  
Given he did have a point, Scully nodded and checked off the box next to the former Yankee.  
“If we’re going with the American Hero aspect – minus all former Presidents – Neil Armstrong…” Scully started naming off the first names that came to mind.  
“Elvis.”  
Scully sighed, “Martin Luther King Jr.”  
“Elvis.”  
“I gave you Babe, but we’re not turning The People’s House into Graceland.”  
Mulder pouted and sighed, “Fine.” He said crossing his arms as he sulked.  
“There’s a Helen Keller portrait.” Scully selected, “And Mark Twain.”  
“You clearly don’t want my input.” Mulder said, lying down as he continued to sulk.  
Sighing, Scully went back to her selections as the fifty-eight year old man pouted next to her.  
On Thursday, Mulder had met with Hannah at their current home as it was just easier to meet where secret service was already stationed, and let her read his first draft of the Fox and Dana Detective Club. Mulder tried to wanted to feed off her emotions and felt secure in his ability as, when she finished, she pushed the laptop aside as a tear fell from her eyes.  
“So, do you think it’s worth perusing?” Mulder asked given he hadn’t let anyone else read his children’s book; not even his wife.  
“It’s so sweet. It shows kids that they can be open about what they’re going through and that someone will help out. I remember when my mom got cancer I tried to be so tough, not telling anyone she was sick until of all people my art teacher took me aside and I just broke down. At the end of the day, we all need someone we can break down with.”  
Given Hannah had read much more into his twenty-page book than he intended, he was taken aback by her statement and needed a moment to think about where he was going with this new endeavor, “Is this something you think you can work with, as I’d like it to be illustrated and Dana said you have some experience with this.”  
Hannah nodded as she wiped her eyes and opened her bag, “When you told me about the general idea, you and Aunt Dana as kids, I put together a few sketches on my iPad. It’s so much easier than with a pencil and paper and easier to erase your mistakes as well.” She said as she handed him the device, “Now, bear in mind, I haven’t really doodled in quite so time so I’m a bit rusty, but excited to get back into the game.”  
Mulder nodded as he took the iPad from Hannah, looking down to see her drawing of a little girl with big blue eyes wearing overalls and her hair in a ponytail, and a little boy – with big hazel green eyes - in jeans and a black t-shirt.   
Hannah attempted to gauge his opinion based on his expression as he scrolled through her preliminary drawings, he was nodding and looked like he liked what he was seeing, but she was having a hard time reading his face and feared this would be like art 101 where she had to draw the first naked man she had ever seen in her life and was too embarrassed to draw his…thing and basically made him look like a Ken doll.  
“As I said, I’m extremely rusty, but I have all the time in the world to work on it and an give you what you want.”  
Mulder nodded as he scrolled back to the one of a little Scully wearing a little business suit, “Can you give Dana more freckles?”  
Hannah nodded enthusiastically, “Of course!”  
“And the cross, you can’t forget that.” He smiled handing the iPad back to her.  
“Of course. It’s sacred.” Hannah looked down at her drawings then back up at her Uncle, “So, you like them?” she cautiously asked still fearing the answer.  
“They’re perfect. When you get home we can hammer it down via FaceTime, page by page.”  
Hannah nodded enthusiastically, “Yes. Definitely.”  
“Now, just know nothing is certain, once we have everything put together I’ll reach out looking for a publisher.”  
“Of course, I’m just happy to have something to do!” Hannah nearly squealed as she thought of finally being able to turn something she loved doing into more than a hobby.  
Every day, Scully would arrive home by a quarter after six, in time to help feed Melissa her dinner before giving her a bath and reading her a bedtime store before she fell asleep. Friday, would be her last day at the White House Annex before they would be moving into the official White House that Saturday and that would be the moment everything would feel real.  
And Scully found herself throwing up at the imagery.  
“We all ate the same thing?” A tired Mulder said as he stood at the door to the bathroom as his wife lost everything remaining in her stomach. “Why are you sick? You never get sick.”  
“It’s nerves.” Scully said as she wiped her mouth with a handful of toilet paper before tossing it in the bowl and flushing for the third time. “We’re actually going to be living in the same house the Obamas lived in.”  
“Not just the Obamas.”  
“As far as I’m concerned no one since the Obamas.” She said as she closed the lid and sat on the closed toilet, still bent over for fear of sitting up completely.  
“I get it.” Mulder said walking into the bathroom and leaning against the sink as he looked down at his paler than usual wife, “Do you not think you can handle it as you’ve already been at the job in some capacity for four days?”  
“Four days where all I did was sit at a desk and look at hundreds of resumes of prospective justices. Next week I have to actually meet with them, IN the oval office. Me, Alex, Ben…and I still want to find a place for Marita’s daughter. I know we said we weren’t going to practice nepotism, but Marita is so worried about her and she’s just been making copies and getting coffee for people all week.”  
“Well, they took her ice skating on Tuesday.”  
“And Joy is miserable, I can see it in her face, so that means William is miserable. I think he just spends all day sleeping now.”  
“He walks the dogs a few times a day.” Mulder replied.  
“This isn’t a life!” Scully nearly cried, “They’re only here because we were told they had to be, by people who convinced me this was a good idea. And now, I’m missing watching my daughter grow up!”  
“You’re not missing anything.” Mulder said standing before his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders and using his thumbs to help tilt her head up to look at him, “It’s been four days. We’ll move into a GIANT house with a tennis court and a bowling alley and a pool and PLENTY for William to do besides walking dogs and sleeping. If you want to see Missy, just give me a call and I CAN BRING her to you. I’m sure even Presidents are allowed breaks.”  
“And what about you?” Scully asked, “What will you do?”  
Mulder shrugged, “I have my book, Hannah sent me over some great illustrations this afternoon…and if that doesn’t pan out I’ll think of something. I’m not going to fall into a depression due to the world not ending…again.” Mulder gave her a small, yet reassuring smile. “We are going to be ok.” Mulder let go of her shoulders and stood back, “Now, it’s three am, the movers will be here at eight and I think you really would like to move into THE WHITE HOUSE full rested.”  
Scully forced a smile before nodding and getting up, even if she was a little lightheaded.


	18. April

Saturday, January 25, 2020  
After a long shower and an egg white omelet, a mostly rested Scully wearing black jeans and a red sweater, pulled her hair back into a stylish ponytail as she double checked her makeup for the tenth time. There would be a White House camera man and photographer recording their move into the newly refurbished White House and Mulder even shaved twice for such an occasion. Her stomach still a mess of knots, Scully grabbed her thermos of coffee as Mulder scooped up Melissa into his arms as their secret service detail led them out of their temporary home to the awaiting car.  
“I got a B.” Joy said looking at her phone as she sat opposite Scully in the car as William got in next to her and Mulder snapped Melissa into her car seat.  
“A B is good.” Scully replied as she got plenty, even Cs, her freshman year.  
“I’ve never gotten a B on any test in my entire life.” Joy replied turning off her phone and throwing into her bag, “Ever!”  
“You’ve been under A LOT of pressure, it will get easier.” Scully continued to try to reassure the young woman across from her, “You will be fine.”  
Joy didn’t need to read her mind to know Scully was telling the truth, she just wished she could believe her.  
As promised, the White House videographer and photographer were waiting at the entrance of The White House. The front doors wide open as onlookers stood by the front gates watching as the car passed through – cameras going off as Scully smiled and waved to the people who clearly had nothing better to do with their Saturday.  
“That is the fakest smile I have ever seen.” William replied as he watched his mother, her face seeming to be frozen with a creepy grin.  
“She’s trying.” Mulder replied.  
“She needs to just be herself. That’s why people voted for her in the first place.” William added as his mother’s face slowly returned to its resting state and she turned it to him, “You know why people voted for me?”  
“We’ve been around…” Joy added to the conversation, “We just happened to wander around the food court at the mall and listened into what people were saying…”  
“And thinking.” William replied.  
“And people said that you seemed real. Alex looked like a polished politician, but you…” Joy looked to her husband.  
“Reminded them of their moms…or sisters…”  
“And daughters.” Joy said, “So, you don’t really have to win anyone over.”  
“So please stop with the Nicholson Joker smile.” William said as the car came to a stop outside the open front doors, “People already love you.”  
Trying to take what her son and daughter-in-law said to heart, Scully nodded as she grabbed her black purse and looked at her family, “Well, it’s showtime.”  
April Murphy, the young woman they had met on Monday after the inauguration, met the family at the front doors. Her dark brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, wearing black slacks, and a crisp white blouse, April excitedly welcomed Scully and her family to their new home.  
“Now, we’ve placed the museum pieces you requested in their respective areas.” April said as she walked the family of five into the large home, “All of the presidential portraits have been donated to the National Museum of Art, what we have on the walls in their place are various works of art from independent artists across the country.” April walked the family to the wall near the blue room, “This piece is from Anabelle Adams from Baton Rouge, as you can see it’s a painting of Canal Street with the famous streetcar.”  
They all nodded at the remarkable painting.  
“It’s beautiful.” Mulder said noticing how much the red in the streetcar jumped out at you, then looked closely at the card next to the painting, “She’s FIVE!?”  
“Yes.” April smiled, “Most of the paintings are by gifted children.” She said winking at the little one in Mulder’s arms.  
William and Joy exchanged confused expressions before centering all train of thought on April going forward.  
“On the first floor we have the red room, the blue room and the green room. There is also the main kitchen and the family and state dining rooms. These rooms are primarily for entertaining guests. There is also the east room most known for visiting sports teams and other large groups.” April said as the group looked around at the different rooms as they stayed in the hallway, “Now, we’ve had to make some changes after the events of last year. There is now a door at the top of the staircase limiting only residents and security into the residence.” She said pulling out a device, “I will need your finger prints as your keycard.”  
The woman with the camera behind Mulder oohed at the device as Scully did as she was asked and placed her right and the left index finger on the pad and waited for it to turn green, locking in her print. Mulder then did the same as well as William and Joy.  
“I really don’t think the one-year-old needs this yet.” Mulder chuckled as April smiled and nodded.  
“But it does save us from getting more baby gates.” Scully laughed nervously as she turned to her husband, the smile freezing a bit when she saw the camera behind him.  
“And you said you have how many pets?” April asked.  
“Three dogs and four cats.” Mulder replied.  
“That’s the most we’ve had in this house for…forever.” She laughed a bit, “It will be best if they stay in the residential area to avoid being lost or stepped on given we will start giving tours again next month.”  
“But the dogs can go outside?” William asked, “For walks and such.”  
April nodded, “Yes. Are they big or small dogs?”  
“Small.” Everyone said in unison.  
“Probably best they are supervised outside and their…business…is collected quickly.”  
“Doable.” William replied then muttered to himself that it wasn’t like he had anything else to do.  
“Now, I will take you to the West Wing.” April said as she directed the family to follow her to the West Colonnade for their short walk to the Oval Office.  
Just as she requested, the portrait of Elizabeth Blackwell hung on the wall to the left of the Resolute Desk with a portrait of Albert Einstein to the right of the desk. The personal photos Scully had provided April a few days earlier were lined up behind her brand new espresso colored executive chair. Scully looked over the photos, now within elegant frames, picking up the photo of she and her mother and Melissa when she was five and her sister was seven. She had recently found the photo – along with hundreds of others in boxes - when going through her mother’s items and William scanned them all to the cloud. Looking at in here, on the end table next to photos of her father and her wedding photo with her son and daughter just overwhelmed her with so much love. She couldn’t help but feel that her those she had lost were with her in some way.  
April continued the tour of the West Wing with the camera crew, showing everything from the study next to the Oval Office to the Vice President and Chief of Staff’s offices, not bothering to go upstairs which was just more offices and reception areas. They ended the interior tour walking from the press and press briefing room to the Palm Room which is primarily used as a starting room for visitors and going to and from the Rose Garden.  
Walking outside to the Rose Garden, Mulder was instantly taken aback seeing a basketball court, which he thought had been replaced by the previous administration  
“We’ve returned the basketball court to its original spot near the pool. There is a large vegetable garden that we needed to restart due to vandals who desecrated it last summer. We do have a professional gardener who can assist.”  
“I’ll do it.” Mulder piped up, “I’ve actually developed quite the green thumb.”  
April smiled, “Sounds good.”  
April walked them to another area which was previously just lawn, to reveal two large two-story playhouses that resembled two castle towers made of wood with swings, slides, climbing walls and monkey bars. Next to it was a large and covered sandbox with benches. There were already plenty of toys in the box as if it had already been used.  
“I don’t recall this in any previous administration.” Scully said looking over the playground equipment then looking at her daughter whose eyes were wide with wonder.  
“Yes, we had a long discussion with your Chief of Staff and he felt like The White House needed to have a more family feel. Do you know he has six children?”  
“And another one on the way.” Mulder added.  
“Yes. Many of the staff members have young children so we’ve decided to include a day care center on the ground floor – taking the place of the Diplomatic Reception and China rooms. This is also where the main kitchen is located as well as the carpenter, florist and the White House Physician reside. We also have a bowling alley and the Presidential Emergency Operations room on the ground floor. There was a lot of construction over the fall.”  
“And the bunker.” Mulder added.  
April gave him a small smile as she looked at the camera crew, “It’s small and for emergency situations only.”  
William and Joy looked at April and then each other before shaking their heads and continuing on with the tour.  
By ten am, the public tour was over and the movers had moved all the items from the temporary house into The White House. The items in the moving trucks from Colorado had been moved in while they were in the other home. April waited a bit as the White House videographer and photographer said their goodbyes for the day and made their way out of the house to close and lock the doors.  
“Now.” She said to the family, “I can show you the rest of the house.”  
Feeling it wouldn’t be safe to show the world the residential area of the house, April walked them up the steps and allowed Scully to place her index finger on the electronic pad next to the newly installed double doors.  
“Now…” April said as they passed through the unlocked doors to the spacious stair landing area, “On opposite ends of the floor are the west sitting hall and the east sitting hall – the east being to my left. Near the west hall is a small kitchen and dining area which is fully stocked with anything you could possibly need – as well as the two other kitchens.” April walked them to a large oval room which was primarily yellow “This is the yellow room, which leads out to the Truman Balcony where you can see the Washington Monument. We look at this like the family room of a home.”  
The Mulder family walked into the room with a gorgeous chandelier in the middle and three couches and two chairs along with two tables and two chairs next to an elegant fireplace.  
“No tv…”Mulder murmured to himself.  
“We can put one in if it’s that important to you.” April said looking directly at Scully who nodded. “There are TVs in each bedroom.” April assured the family as she walked them out of the yellow room and back to the center hall. “The second floor has five bedrooms, in case your family expands.” April smiled at the couple in their late fifties – and not the two eighteen-year-old adults before her - causing Joy and William to look at her in misperception.  
“Sometimes the president and spouse like to sleep in separate rooms due to various reasons, but I’m told that’s not the case with you?” she said, her eyes still set on Scully and Mulder.  
“Yes, we’re married people who actually share a bed.” Mulder replied as he adjusted the ever growing toddler into a more comfortable position on his left hip.  
April smiled again as she walked to another set of double doors next to the yellow room and opened them both before stepping aside, “Your bedroom.”  
Scully’s eyes widened at the size of the room she was now standing in, “Pretty sure this is bigger than my first apartment.”  
“Twice as big.” Mulder replied as he slowly turned to take it all in. A California king four poster bed with removable canopy frame sat against the wall to his right.  
“All the furniture is new.” April assured the couple, “The bed is sanded in multiple stages to distress the piece and make it look like an antique.”  
“What kind of wood?” Scully asked as she ran her fingers down the turned posts.  
“Mahogany.” April replied.  
“Would it be wrong to just go to sleep now?” She asked staring lovingly at the grey bedspread and eight pillows against the woven cane headboard.  
Mulder chuckled, “Let’s just get through the rest of the tour.”  
“Lots of bedrooms, yada yada.” Scully yawned.  
“I can speed it up as the kitchen is preparing lunch.” April said noticing how tired Scully did look.  
Scully nodded as she watched April lead her son and Joy out of the room, Mulder staying behind to take her hand, “Did you check out that tv?” He said to her as she turned to see what had to be a fifty-inch tv above the fireplace directly across from the bed. Thankful there were three loveseats between it and the bed.  
Across from the master bedroom, were two bedrooms each with their own bedroom and a storage closet between them. The west room was set up for William and Joy with a much more modern mahogany four poster bed directly across from the double doors with matching dresser and to the left and vanity to the right in front of the window. Another fireplace with a tv above it was located to the right of the doors and Joy could understand Scully’s need to just crawl into the inviting bed and go to sleep.  
The east bedroom, had a much different feel. There was a small wooden white and gold toddler bed with pink bedding and bed rails on each side. On the left side of the bed was a matching three drawer dresser next to it where a pink teddy bear lamp sat next to one of Scully’s dolls – another find after her mother passed away – and a matching chair next to the dresser where Violet had been placed.  
“Violet!” Melissa squealed at her purple dog toy.  
The right side of the bed had a small night table with another teddy bear lamp and a five piece dresser.  
There was another fire place – which clearly was not functional - and another TV above it, along with two in wall bookcases – just like in the other room, but these shelves were lined with various stuffed animals and to the right was three foot by three foot Victorian doll house and brown teddy bear of equal sizing.  
“She’s probably too young for it right now…” April said of the dollhouse, “But we couldn’t resist.”  
“I want to play with it!” Scully exclaimed looking at the intricate details of the house and the little furniture it in.”  
“Me too!” Joy replied.  
On the other side of the fireplace was a small table and chairs with a tea set already in place and next to that an activity table that looked like a small tree with motor activity station with balls and cute animals to mauver down paths.  
“We have three more in the day care center.” April said as she watched Melissa squirm in her father’s arms to play.  
“I guess she likes it.” Mulder replied trying to keep her in his arms.  
“Why don’t you let her play, Joy and I can watch her. You can fill us in on the tour later.” William said to his father as his sister clearly wanted to play.  
“You’re sure?” Mulder replied as Melissa began to whimper looking at the activity table.  
“Yes.” William replied as Mulder sighed in relief as he let her down on her little legs and she ran to the table, instantly getting on her knees in her pretty pink dress and tights to play.  
“Thank you.” Mulder said as he followed his wife and April out of the room for the rest of the tour.  
Joy sat down at the small table and looked down at the tea set and then at Melissa.  
William closed the two doors before he turned back to Joy.  
“April.”  
Joy nodded, “You noticed it too.”  
“Was she the one that hit you with the line drive?”  
Joy nodded as her lips pursed, “Yup.” She sighed, “How many people from that camp are we going to run into?”  
“You think she remembered us?” William said struggling to sit in the tiny chair across from his wife.  
“She definitely did. She knew how to block our ability to read her mind.”  
“Should we tell my parents?” William asked, “I don’t want to spook them.”  
“Aside from being a bully, she wasn’t too bad. I can’t even remember what her ability was.”  
“Being a bully?”  
Joy sighed and looked back at Melissa, “They said they wanted to take over the planet with people like us…we’re starting to see it come into fruition.”  
“Well, we’ll just keep an eye on her…” William sighed, “She knows what we’re capable of.”  
Keeping the ever present fake smile on her face, April led Scully and Mulder to the remaining guest bedrooms – the Queen and the ever popular Lincoln’s Bedroom as she couldn’t help but wonder what those two in the yellow/east bedroom were talking about.  
Clearly they now remembered her. She was fourteen, dealing with hormones and everything else that made her…more human than human…and here were these two eleven-year old kids who thought they knew everything. Then there was Heather….the Goddess who killed Caleb, and Grace…everyone remembered Grace. As one of the handful of people who actually knew what happened on July 4, 2019 it was April’s job to make sure certain individuals stayed outside to watch the fireworks and was incredibly angry when Heather or Avery whatever she was calling herself, never showed up. She knew the plans were in place to get them ALL to where they were today, and even though she was happy to see Dana Scully in the role planned for her, she was just upset that not everyone paid the price they deserved.  
“Upstairs.” April said as she kept her mind focused on the job at hand, “there are more bedrooms, a solarium, a game room and a workout room. There is also a music room and a promenade with an outdoor area where Eisenhower was known to grill quite often.” April continued with all The White House history jammed down her throat the year prior.  
“There were three extra bedrooms and I was advised to turn those into offices for you and your family. I believe, Joy…” She said trying not to choke on her name. “Is still in college?”  
“Yes. Scully replied. She’s in finishing her freshman year.”  
“And William?” April asked – thankful she remembered to call him William and not Jackson.  
“He’s still finding his place.” Scully sighed hoping her son would snap out of his current depression.  
“Completely understandable. I was in that same place at his age.” April replied.  
“And how old are you now?” Scully asked.  
“I’ll be twenty-one in March.” April replied even if she sometimes felt fifty.  
Hoping William would find his place before he was April’s age, Scully simply smiled and followed April to the first room.  
“The first office, was designed for Mr. Mulder.” She said opening the double doors.  
Mulder walked in to see a desk with a large wide screen Apple monitor and above the desk on the wall was a black and white portrait of Elvis Presley and another of Bob Dylan. The fireplace to the left had another tv above it with a small couch in front of it, and on the mantle was the bust of Babe.  
Mulder turned to his wife who stood by the door and nodded. It wasn’t what she wanted, but the smile on his face told her she made the right choice for him.  
Her home office, had almost the same design as Mulder’s, but with classic paintings on the wall instead of singers and an antique bowl on the mantle in place of the baseball player bust.  
Another office was also designed simply for Joy, with another Macintosh computer and two widescreen monitors to help with her schooling.  
“There’s only one more area I need you to see before I leave you today.” April took a deep breath. “The bunker.”  
Mulder nodded, “I’ve heard about it.”  
“Not this one.” April said as they walked to the elevator and she pressed her finger against the pad until it lit up.  
The basement was primarily where the dishes were washed and maintenance room was located, but just in case any other events were to occur they wanted to make sure the first family was safe.  
Walking into a small office, April removed a painting next to a bookcase and instructed Scully to place her finger on the pad like with the other doors, before there was a click and the bookcase opened inwards.  
“Like a scene out of a mystery movie.” Mulder remarked.  
“The lights are motion activated.” April said, “It’s like the world’s biggest panic room.” She said as she led them into the secret area, the door closing and locking behind them.  
“We’re not trapped, are we?” Mulder asked feeling concerned that the rest of his family wasn’t with him.  
“No. In case of an emergency the doors auto lock after two minutes. You can easily reopen them with your finger on the touch pad.”  
Feeling a bit of relief that they were safe, Scully and Mulder followed April around the windowless area, “There’s a living room, kitchen, four furnished bedrooms and three spare rooms which can be utilized however you see fit. There’s a toddler bed for your daughter which can easily be converted to a standard bed it the need arises.” Opening another door and walking in as the light turned on, April continued her tour, “There’s also a room with a monitoring station which has cameras and microphones in every room in the house. You are the only ones with access to this, so do not worry about being spied on.” April said in a reassuring tone, but knowing she was lying.  
Mulder looked at the wall of screens - something else that resembled a movie, “Can we check it out?”  
“Sure.” April replied handing him a large keypad with close to one-hundred numbered buttons on it.  
Clicking on one, a screen illuminated showing the open entry way. Two, the stairway. Jumping to ten the first floor rest room, “Even the restroom?”  
“Security.” April replied, “Never know where someone could be hiding. Even the closets are covered. Remember, this in in case of emergency only.” She said mentally crossing her fingers.  
Mulder continued to press buttons as more screens lit up before him, eventually getting to his daughter’s bedroom where Joy and William sat on the floor against the bed, “You said there are microphones?”  
April nodded, but given the tense mental standoff she had with the two she felt it best to not turn them on, “You really don’t want to spy on your son.”  
Mulder nodded as he pressed the off button, turning off all the cameras and handing the keypad back to April, “You’re right.”  
With a sigh of relief, April took the pad from him and placed it back in it’s designated spot, “The hope is that you never need to come down here.” She said before looking at her watch, “I really should run, but if you never need me my number is on the internal White House page along with any others you may need to reach out to.”  
The White House chef Samuel, a tall and extremely good looking black man, greeted them on their way to the front door with April who rushed into her office to grab her coat and bag.  
“Lunch will be ready in about thirty minutes.” He said with his hands folded in front of him.  
“What is on the menu today?” Scully asked honestly intrigued and starving.  
“Vegetarian avocado caprese salad with vegan mozzarella.”  
Remembering their last experience with vegan cheese, Mulder internally groaned, “Going forward you don’t need to go vegan. We realized vegetarian is just fine.”  
Samuel looked confused, “I was told vegan was required.”  
“That’s fine.” Scully said not wanting to upset the man, “It’s good that we go back to it.”  
“Good. Now, you can wait in any of the rooms and I will alert you when lunch is ready.”  
Joy and William sat on the floor waiting for his parents to return. When the door opened they expected to see Scully or Mulder, but instead wearing a long black wool coat stood April. Staring down at the couple as she walked towards them and crossed her arms.  
“How long did it take you?” she asked them.  
“For what?” William asked.  
“To remember me.”  
Joy looked at her husband and then up at April, “When you told me mentally to fuck off.”  
April nodded as she looked over at Melissa still fully enthralled with the activity tree, “She really is precious.”  
“What do you want with us?” Joy asked honestly a bit scared as seeing this woman just made her feel like a scared eleven-year-old girl all over again.  
“You? Nothing.” April sighed as she pulled out her phone and the shoved it back in her coat pocket, “I have one job, to keep this house protected from idiots who want to destroy it and to give tours to other idiots.”  
“You’re really not a people person are you?” William pointed out  
“Why should I be? My mother was killed by the same people who made me what I am, but what can I say …she was a bitch anyway.” She said as her phone went off again, “Fucking fiancé.”  
“Anyone we know…”Joy asked given everything that had happened it wouldn’t surprise her.  
“No. His name is Steven and he’s a cardiologist.”  
“How old?” Joy asked.  
“Fifty-two, but he has a one-eighty IQ, graduated college at twelve and is incredibly handsome and rich.”  
“Explains why he survived.” William replied.  
“It’s how we met really. I was vetting him and we just…fell in love.” She smiled at the memory, “We’re getting married in April as I want to be able to legally drink at my own wedding and I thought it would be cute for a woman named April to get married in the month with her name, and then I expect to be pregnant by May.”  
“Good for you.” Joy replied.  
“I’m happy.” April sighed, “Shocked you two haven’t produced any little freaks yet.”  
“We’re eighteen.” Joy replied.  
“So. Oh yeah I forgot. You’re going to go to medical school and save the world!” she said in a mocking tone, “Get real. You’re a breeder just like the rest of us.”  
Feeling insulted and disgusted at this Handmaid’s Tale dystopia April described, Joy just looked at the woman aghast, “I’m so much more than a …breeder.”  
“I didn’t mean it in an insulting way, it’s just…this is a new world…and we need to populate it with the best humanity has to offer. I guess you can be a doctor and have a bunch of little freaks, just as long as someone is around to raise them.”  
“Our children won’t be freaks.” William replied defensively, “Are you calling my sister a freak?”  
“No, because she’s perfect. You WERE perfect until your grandfather turned you into a freak. Who knows, maybe the perfect DNA will win.” April rolled her eyes, “Speaking of which your mother REALLY needs to get some rest given her condition.”  
“What?” Joy and William said in unison, “What condition.”  
“She’s clearly pregnant. Early, not too far along.”  
“How do you know?” Joy asked wondering if maybe that was April’s gift… as strange as it sounded.  
“I can tell by looking at her. It’s clearly obvious. But not to worry, this job won’t be too difficult as she has plenty of help. I mean if a reality star can do it, anyone can.”  
“But wasn’t his inability to do it why we’re in the spot we are in now?” William asked.  
“True, but your mother will be fine. She’s smart and empathetic and we know the rest of the world will follow her lead in setting a good example or what happened to us will happen to them.” April said before her phone went off again, “FINE!” she said not looking at it, “He really loves movie night a little too much.” She said walking to the door, “Oh, and don’t tell your parents anything I told you today. ANY of what I told you. I’m just April the Head Usher. Got it?”  
They both nodded, honestly a little afraid of this six foot madwoman.  
“April…” Joy said as she got to the door really needing an answer to her question, “What was your...gift?”  
“Gift?”  
“The reason you were at the camp.”  
“Oh. That.” She said looking at the bookcases and centering on one book as they watched it move from the shelf then quickly slam against Joy’s chest. “That.” She smiled before leaving the room.  
Choking a bit as she struggled to catch her breath, William picked up the book which April telepathically slammed into Joy like she did with the baseball ten years earlier.  
“The Little Engine That Could.” William sighed.  
At lunch they had sat in the main dining room eating their salads and bread. William kept an eye on his mother, looking for any proof of what April said and cringing a bit as she picked up her iced tea.  
At dinner, they ate in the residence and he watched as she drank a glass of red wine with her tomato risotto but feared telling her what April had said would reveal too much and they really weren’t sure completely what April was capable of doing to them or his mother.  
“There’s a video game room.” Mulder told his son as he finished off his wine, “Up for some Madden football?”  
“Sure.” William replied as he watched his mother take the plates to the sink and finish off her own glass.  
Joy looked at her husband, trying to reassure him that it was ok…that wine wouldn’t hurt the fetus…if there was one…but he was still concerned.  
“So, it’s seven.” Joy said to her daughter-in-law, “What do you have planned this Saturday night?”  
“Probably studying, as always. I do love my office though.”  
“Glad April made sure you were taken care of.”  
Joy groaned at the mention of the telepathic witch, “How about you?”  
“Sleep.” Scully yawned, “Remember, church tomorrow.”  
Joy nodded as she took her plate to the sink and took a second look at Scully as she ran her hand through her head, “Do you ever think about having more children?”  
Scully shook her head, “I try not to. I know it’s POSSIBLE given...everything…but how would that look? At my age and my position?”  
“But if it happened…”  
“I’d be thrilled.” Scully said as she rinsed off the plates and placed them in the dishwasher. “But like I said, I can’t think about it.”  
Joy nodded as she began to walk out of the kitchen, sensing Scully’s eyes on her.

“Joy, you’re not trying to tell me something are you?” Scully asked the young woman.  
“I’m not pregnant.” Joy replied turning to face Scully and then turning back around, “But you might be.” She finished before turning towards her room to retrieve her books.  
“YOU TOLD HER!?” William nearly screamed when he returned to their bedroom a little past eleven and Joy instantly confessed.  
“I HAD TO! I know the wine and caffeine won’t affect it, but …if she is…”  
“Dammit, Joy.”  
“I’m pretty sure I freaked her out.”  
“Gee, telling a nearly fifty-six year old woman who just became president that she MAY be pregnant can do that to a woman. The SHOCK could cause her to miscarry.”  
“Don’t scare me like that!” Joy replied given what she had already been through, “She deserved to know.”  
“Did you tell her HOW you knew?”  
“No. I just…fled.”  
“Great.” William said pulling off his shirt and tossing it across the room, “I guess all we can do is hope she didn’t believe you.”  
Joy nodded, “And maybe stop drinking wine and caffeine just because.”  
“Fine.”  
The alarm clock near her bed flashed the ungodly hour of three fifteen am. Scully pretended to be asleep when Mulder returned from gaming with their son and crawled into bed next to her. She maybe slept a couple of hours, but the words Joy said to her woke her from whatever dream she was having. Yes, it was possible…but right now…with everything on her shoulders was it probable? As pro-choice as she was, and the temporary thoughts she had while pregnant with Melissa, she could never have an abortion. But now, how would it even look?  
Joy was a mind reader and there was no way she could know if this was true, but the words sounded so true. Maybe she just wanted them to be true.  
Getting out of the warm bed, Scully grabbed her robe and walked barefoot out of the bedroom to the Truman balcony. The Washington Memorial like a beacon in the sky, she leaned on the railing and looked up at the visual stars above her. There was no way she could tell Mulder, he would be crushed if it wasn’t true, but on this night of all nights she so wanted to believe.


	19. Sunday

Sunday, January 26, 2020  
Generally, the first family attends church before the inauguration, but given how everything was out of sorts this year they waited until this morning – news crews in attendance – to attend the St. John’s Church near The White House. Wearing their Sunday best, and trying to ignore the secret service, they walked to the church – Melissa in a white dress while being held in her father’s arms – before eight and took their places in the front pews. Scully, her mind a mess of possibilities, may have been praying harder than anyone else in the church as the pastor read from the bible.  
After the service, and the cameras flashing way too many unflattering pictures, the family returned to the protected house where April was there to open the doors for them.  
“Good morning!” she greeted them in way too chipper of a mood, “How was church?”  
“Fine.” They all replied in unison as she closed the doors behind them.  
“That’s great.” She said in her usual robotic tone, “Samuel has breakfast ready in the main dining room when you’re ready.” She said as she waited for Mulder, Scully and Melissa to go ahead before she grabbed Joy’s arm, “You didn’t tell them, right.”  
Joy felt April’s nails digging into her skin, “You know I could make your heart stop just looking at you, right?” Joy said between clenched teeth.  
“But you won’t, because you’re a good person.” April whispered, “Did. You. Tell. Them?”  
Joy sighed, “I told Dana she might be pregnant.”  
April gritted her teeth and dug her nails in harder.  
“She deserved to know!” she said trying to ignore the sharp pain shooting down her arm.  
“Did you tell her how you knew this?”  
“No.” Joy replied.  
“She’s telling the truth.” William said grabbing Aprils arm and squeezing it until she let go of Joy.  
“Fine.” April said looking at the two of them, “Dana needs to just do her job and not know anything about me or how you two know me.”  
They both nodded as they headed towards the stairs.  
“By the way.” April said looking at them, “I looked into Heather Hunter last night…”  
“Why?” William asked.  
“Such a shame she wasn’t where she was supposed to be last July 4th. It’s almost as if someone warned her.” April eyed William, “Wonder why that was?”  
Choosing to not take the bait, and given they all got married in private there was no way April could know that Heather married his cousin, so they chose to just ignore the sociopath and head upstairs.  
Sunday, January 26th, 2020 8:15AM  
Sitting in her trailer, looking over yet another horribly written script, Heather looked out the window to watch the crew set up for the next scene. The week away from this place was nice, but the second they arrived home Friday night she got a call to be on the set at five am and hadn’t left since. Other than a few phone calls, she hadn’t spoken to Hannah - who had thankfully paired up with her uncle on a writing project - so at least she had something to do.  
“You got MARRIED?” the creator said after walking into her trailer unannounced.  
“How did you find out?” Heather replied given her rings were in her purse and she didn’t tell anyone other than Hannah’s family – who was now her family. The fact she now had a family…a real family…overwhelmed her in such a way she felt her heart might burst.  
Michael, the forty-something year old creep with an ugly beard straight out of Duck Dynasty, placed his phone on the table before her revealing the photo of she and Hannah in white gowns holding hands with flowers leaving the court in DC, “That sure looks like a wedding photo.”  
“Where did you get that?”  
“One of those amateur wanna-be paparazzis sent it to me in an email.”  
“The show hasn’t even aired yet. Why would anyone know who I am?”  
“Critics and press have seen the pilot. We need them for publicity. What we don’t need, is this.”  
“I told you I was gay when this all started.”  
“Heather…” Michael said as he sat down across from her, “I and the rest of the cast and crew don’t care if you’re straight, gay, bi or whatever, but there is still a large segment of the population who do care if the lead in a hit show is a lesbian.”  
“How do you know it will be a hit?”  
“Because you’re hot and naked, and now…”he threw up his arms, “You need to at least LOOK attainable. You’re a hit woman who sleeps with men before killing them. This picture makes that no longer believable.”  
“I told you I wanted the character to represent who I really am and you said no. I’m not going to stop living my life to please you.”  
“You signed a contract with a clause that states you won’t do anything to hurt the series. You already have.”  
Heather leaned back and crossed her arms, “And what’s the penalty?”  
“Your immediate termination and five million dollars.”  
Heather took a deep breath and nodded. Five million dollars was over twice what she was paid and that money was half gone with the foreclosure in Malibu she was lucky enough to get for under a million “How can I fix this without hurting Hannah?”  
“Go public. If we get ahead of this, you can then be an icon to others and maybe people will still want to watch the show.”  
“I can’t do that. Her father is a rabid bigot and her aunt…” Heather took a deep breath and closed her eyes before continuing, “Her aunt is President of The United States.”  
Michael’s eyes grew wide as he picked up the phone and looked at the photo before dialing a number, “Janice, book Oprah….oh yeah.. I forgot…Ellen! Book Ellen! She’s going to love this.”  
Heather closed her eyes as she felt a migraine coming on.  
Hannah was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, her uncle on the laptop in front of her as she was showing him the latest drawings for his book when Heather walked in the door.  
“Oh my God!” Hannah nearly squealed at the sight of her wife carrying a large bag and a pizza, “Heather is home early!”  
“Hi Heather!” Mulder yelled from the computer.  
Heather forced a smile as she placed the pizza on the kitchen counter and then a bottle of pinot noir.  
“What’s wrong?” Hannah could read her face that something was incredibly off.  
“We need to talk.” Heather said as she grabbed a corkscrew and opened the bottle wanting to down all of it in one sip.  
“Ok, Uncle Fox we’ll talk later ok?”  
“Sure, let me know if I can help.” Mulder replied sensing something was off.  
“Oh, you will find out.” Heather moaned as she grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and poured the wine into them.  
Sitting on one of the bar stools in front of the counter, Hannah looked up at Heather, “I thought you wanted to keep all alcohol out of the house?”  
“Well, today is different.” Heather said handing Hannah the glass, “You may need it.”  
“Did you get fired?” Hannah feared.  
“No, not exactly…” Heather said taking a sip before placing the glass down, “The show creator found out we got married.”  
“Oh…” Hannah said realizing now she may need the drink.  
“And apparently I signed some clause without reading it that if I hurt the show with my ‘actions’ I have to pay a fine of five million dollars.” She said before taking a larger sip, “And I’m fired.”  
“Isn’t that more than you were paid?”  
Heather nodded, “We’d lose the house.”  
“Ok.” Hannah said as she looked at the bottle of wine, “How do we fix this?”  
Thankful she used the word “We” Heather took Hannah’s hands in hers, squeezing them as she leaned over the counter, “By going public.”  
Wanting the drink, which is probably why Heather took her hands in the first place, Hannah shook her head, “I can’t.”  
“Then we’re screwed.” She replied letting go of Hannah’s hands because she needed a drink, “Hannah, it’s 2020, how long do you intend to stay in this damn closet? You father knows, your family knows…IT DOESN’T MATTER!”  
“My father could do something that would hurt you. That’s what I’m afraid of.”  
“Then I’ll kill him.”  
“Stop saying that!” Hannah replied, “I know he’s horrible, but he’s still my father.”  
“Who you are NEVER going to please.” Heather replied not understanding where Hannah was coming from as she never had a mother or a father.  
“I know…but once you come out…everyone knows…and I just don’t want that yet.”  
Heather sighed as her upper teeth dug into her lower lip, “Fine…I’ll tell Michael the deal is off. We’ll lose the house and live in a car.”  
“You don’t have to be passive aggressive it about it.”  
“Hannah, I love you, THAT is why I married you. I want the world to know and the fact that you don’t, well, frankly it pisses me off.” Heather said finishing the glass and then grabbing the bottle, “I’ll be in the tub…while we still have one.”  
As she heard the bathroom door close above her, Hannah picked up her own glass and opened the box of pizza. Cheese, with tomatoes, onions and black olives. Her favorite. Closing the box she took hold of it in her free hand and carried it to the couch.  
Sunday, January 26, 2020 5:20PM EST  
Scully couldn’t do anything without the secret service or the press finding out, but she had to know if Joy was on to something. The house doctor was one of the many numbers in the directory on the intranet, so giving it a shot Scully called Dr. Emily Bernstein who told Scully she would be there in an hour.  
“This is stupid.” Scully said as she sat in the small office and Dr. Bernstein – a slim and short woman with short blonde hair and glasses – took her blood and placed the vial on the table next to her as Scully rolled her sleeve down. “I’ll be fifty-six in less than a month.”  
“What makes you believe you are pregnant?” Emily asked as she wrote something down onto a piece of paper in her file.  
Saying ‘my daughter-in-law told me I was’ sounded insane, “I’ve been throwing up…which I thought was just nerves.”  
“The oldest woman to get pregnant naturally, that I’m aware of, was fifty-nine.” Dr. Bernstein said placing the vial in a bag, “I’ll get this to the lab, but in the meantime…” she said pulling a brown bag out of her purse, “There are two First Response kits in each box and there are two boxes in the bag. Use one first thing in the morning.”  
“I’m well aware of how it works.” Scully said taking the bag, “I just don’t want my husband to know. It will break his heart if I’m not.”  
“Understandable. He won’t hear it from me, but does he even know why you called me?”  
“Migraines. I told him I was having migraines?”  
“Are you?”  
Scully nodded.  
“That’s a symptom.” She said patting Scully on the arm, “I’ll stop at Walter Reed tonight. They should get back to me in the morning as you are first priority now.”  
Scully smiled, “Nice being special for a change.”  
“And in case you aren’t, and as a good cover, I’ll get you a prescription for Emgality. I’ll have a courier drop it off later.”  
“Thank you, Dr. Bernstein.”  
“My pleasure, Madame President.”  
She still wasn’t used to hearing that.  
The courier arrived with the medication a little before nine, and secret service dropped it off at the residential doors where Mulder picked it up before bringing it to his wife with a bottle of water.  
When he looked away she pretended to take a pill before closing the bottle and tossing it in the nightstand drawer before placing the water bottle on the top and lying on her side away from him.  
“I hate that it’s your first day in the actual oval office tomorrow and you’re so miserable.” He said as he rubbed her back.  
Given the feelings his touch was arousing and the fact she had to pretend to have a headache, Scully simply moaned, “I’m sure a good night’s sleep will help.”  
“I hope so too. Will it bother you if I watch some TV at a low volume?”  
“Not at all.” Scully replied grateful for the distraction.  
Monday, January 27th, 2020 4:35AM PST  
After passing out on the couch on pizza and one glass of wine, Hannah woke up to silence. Usually at this time, Heather would be getting ready to head to the studio, but if Heather was in breach of contract – because of her – then there was no place to go.  
Hannah knew she was gay in middle school, but still dated and slept with men as she felt too ashamed to even admit it to herself.   
Heather was the first person who didn’t make her feel ashamed. When they were out in public no one even gave them a second look – well they gave Heather one because she was, after all, gorgeous -and she was right. It was 2020, so many people had already ‘come out of the closet’ and she could too.  
Walking up the stairs, she opened the master bedroom where Heather lay on the king-sized bed, naked. She had clearly passed out after her own bath, the wine bottle on the nightstand. Hannah picked it up just as a hand grabbed her arm out of reflex.  
“Oh.” Heather said pushing her ratted hair out of her face, “You never came to bed.”  
“I didn’t think you wanted me to.” Hannah replied.  
“I’m sorry I said what I said. We won’t be living in our car, I’ll find a way to fix this without you having to do something you’re uncomfortable doing.”  
Hannah nodded as she looked down at her wife, the moonlight reflecting off her perfectly flat abdomen – and she didn’t even have to work out, “I’m ok. I don’t want you to lose your job because of me, and you’re right…I should be honest about who I am, not only to the world, but to myself.”  
Heather smiled, “Good, we have to be at The Ellen Show by eleven.”  
“What?!”


	20. Day One

Monday, January 27th, 2020 6:45AM  
Yes+  
Scully sat on the floor of the master bathroom staring at the stick in her hand. Tears flowing down her face as the three letters and the plus sign stared back at her.  
Fifty-five years old – less than a month before fifty-six – and she was pregnant.  
This was all too much at once. If she had to choose, she’d throw the reigns to Alex in an instant, but she also wanted to prove she could do the job, but could she do it as a pregnant woman?  
“Why is the door locked?” A groggy Mulder said on the other side of the door.  
Shoving the stick in her bathrobe pocket, Scully got up from the floor and unlocked the door, opening it and letting Mulder enter.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his need to pee being overshadowed by the red faced woman before him.  
“Nothing.” She said wanting him to finish what he came in there for before telling him.  
Walking into the bedroom, she sat on the footstool in front of the bed and waited. Her body tingling with a mixture of excitement and fear as she waited to hear him finish washing his hands and return to the bedroom.  
“So, what’s really wrong?” he asked as he looked down at his wife.  
The first time she was pregnant, Mulder didn’t know till she was seven months along.  
The second time she was pregnant – well that she knew of – she waited until she was four months along to tell him.  
Now, she pulled the test from her pocket and handed it to him.  
“Yes, plus…” Mulder said shrugging then looking at the embossed print, “First Response…”  
As he rattled it in his head – where had he heard First Response before. 9/11? That was first responders. No, First Response was in a commercial. A commercial for.  
His eyes nearly popped out of his head as the stick fell from his hands, “Seriously?”  
Scully nodded as tears fell from her eyes, “Apparently so.”  
“But…”  
“No more buts.” She said shaking her head and taking his hands, “But! We can’t tell anyone. It’s much too early.”  
“How early?”  
“I’m not sure as I have never been regular, but a month …maybe?”  
“Christmas Night…”  
Scully nodded as she tried to blink away the tears, “If you believe in miracles.”  
“Now I do!” Mulder said as he sat down next to her and hugged her, as hard as he could without hurting her, until a dark thought came over him, “But…” he said slowly pulling away.  
“No more buts.”  
“But…” Mulder said again, “You’re the President.”  
“Are you saying Presidents can’t get pregnant?”  
“No, I’m saying…this job may be too much stress for you right now.”  
“Mulder, I was four months pregnant when I watched you kill your own father. If I could handle that, I can handle anything.”  
“True…” Mulder sighed, and mentally cringed at the visual he wanted desperately to forget, “People are going to talk.”  
“I don’t care.” Scully said, “You have no idea how unbelievably happy I am right now.”  
“Me too.”  
Wearing a crisp blue power suit and white silk blouse, Scully made her way to her official office before eight, nodding at the marine who stood by the oval office exterior door as she sat down at her desk and took a deep breath. The interior door opened and it was Ben, carrying his two youngest children.  
“So, emergency…” he said walking to the desk, “Casey went into early labor and the day care teachers haven’t shown up yet.”  
“Oh..” Scully thought, and of all days for Casey to go into labor, “I…can call Mulder…” she said as she picked up the main phone from the desk as Marita entered, also with a frazzled look.  
“Allie is in my office. I NEED to find something for her to do today.”  
Scully looked at Ben, and then Marita before placing her phone back on the hook, “How is Allie with kids?”  
Marita shrugged, “She’s not awful with them.”  
“Good. The teachers are running late and Ben’s wife went into labor. Do you think she could babysit in the day care center for a while?”  
“Definitely!” Marita exclaimed as she told Ben to follow her out the door.  
“Day one in the Oval Office, one crisis averted.” She said sitting in her two-thousand dollar chair and smiling happily at herself.  
Her first meeting of the day was in The White House briefing room to go over the proper protocol in regards to the nuclear football. There are three nuclear footballs, two are allocated to the president and the vice president while the third is stored in the White House. In the usual presidential transitions, the president-elect doesn’t receive the actual nuclear code card until the briefing – which is normally held before the inauguration – but due to the current circumstances, the meeting was delayed until the first official day in the White House; seven days after the inauguration.  
Scully listened carefully as the Joint Chiefs of Staff informed she and Alex of the importance of the card which would be in their possession at all times, along with a military aide who would carry the black bag nicknamed the nuclear football. The bag contained four items: The Black Book containing the retaliatory options in the event of a nuclear attack, a book listing such classified site locations – as well as where the president could be taken in an emergency - and a simple manila folder with the procedures for the Emergency Broadcast System and last, but certainly not least, a three -by-five inch card with the authentication codes.   
The duck and cover videos she had seen in her FBI training flashed before her as Abraham Lincoln – yes that was his real name – went into the history of the card which was sometimes called the nuclear biscuit, noting that it was separated from Ronald Reagan immediately after his assignation attempt in 1981. Even though many presidents in the past had been separated from their aide – and the football – in the past, Alex and Scully were told to do all they could to prevent this from happening.  
At the end of the meeting, she and Alex were handed the “biscuits” and were told to place them in a secure location on their body.  
Scully, like many women, chose her bra.  
Alex joked about the urban legend of Reagan keeping his in his shoe while trying to find the best place to put his before leaving and returning to the hospital where Casey was still in labor.  
At precisely noon on the first official day The White House and therefore the west wing were operational, there was a press conference scheduled. Scully - already exhausted from her meeting - went to the residence, to her bedroom specifically and sat on the couch with her husband, son and daughter to watch. Joy, had more pressing matters to attend to.  
“Need anything? Juice? Water?” Mulder anxiously asked his wife as he held Melissa in his arms and tried all he could to contain his nervous excitement.  
William sat on the couch to the right of his parents and studied them before sighing – loudly, “You are.”  
“Are what?” Scully asked her son confused as to what he was referring.  
“Pregnant.” William said looking at the older couple.  
“How did you even know?” Scully asked her son.  
Remembering how April had threatened them, he shook his head, “Just a hunch.”  
“But how? Do I look different in some way?”  
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just something only other women can tell.” He continued to make everything up as he went along.  
“Oh..” Scully replied, wondering if any other women could tell even though none had said anything and she went over a lot of legal contracts with Marita that morning.  
“It’s starting.” Mulder said directing their attention to the TV in front of them.  
The press room was sparce, only a good twenty people filled it – all with badges from official networks and newspapers.  
“At least FOX News is no longer an issue.” Scully said as her husband closed his eyes and audibly groaned, “What else am I supposed to call it?  
Realizing she had a point, Mulder opened his eyes and just returned his view to the TV as Colette, wearing a sleeveless black dress – even in January – and four inch matching heals, her long raven hair cascading past her shoulders, made her way to the podium.   
William looked at the woman, puzzled for a moment as she smiled and flashbulbs began to go off, and then it hit him.  
Dashing out of the bedroom, he fled up the stairs to the third floor and swung open the door to Joy’s study, startling her as she was in the middle of taking notes during a chemistry lecture.  
“WILLIAM!” she shrieked – thankful she almost always kept the microphone on mute, “You scared me!”  
“You have to see this!” he said grabbing the remote to the tv and turning it on.  
The TV was already set on MSNBC where Colette was in the middle of her press conference.  
Joy slowly got up from her chair and walked over to the TV, looking up at the screen and tilting her head a bit before it clicked.  
“Colette…” she said her teeth clenching, “That French bitch.”  
“SEE! We’re surrounded by these people! We had no idea because my parents had only interacted with them.”  
Colette Boucher. She was one of the ‘counselors’ at the camp and the one Joy really wished she could have used her powers on. “How old is she now?” Joy asked as she walked closer to the screen, “She was, what, twenty at the camp?”  
“That would make her twenty-eight…twenty-nine.”  
“I remember she was so nice when I got there, but then my bed was never made correctly, my hair wasn’t up to code and for some reason she just hated me.”  
“Everyone hated us. We need to talk to Marita…she’s the only one we CAN talk to.” William said as Colette continued to answer questions from reporters.  
“What will she tell us? Oh yeah you’re surrounded by the worst of the worst from Camp Super Soldier, but don’t tell Dana.”  
“It’s worth a shot before we get any more surprises.”  
Joy looked at the screen then back at William, “Fine.”  
Still slightly confused as to where William ran off to, Scully and Mulder kept their attention focused on Colette – along with every person in the press room.  
“Ms. Boucher.” A reporter named Alison Wilcox from NBC News asked, “Will it ever be known what occurred the night of July 4, 2019 where over two-hundred and fifty million American citizens just simply vanished?”  
Colette smiled at the woman with her perfect white teeth which required four years of braces and extractions, “Ms. Wilcox, that is not information I nor the President are privy to.”  
“Well, then can you do anything about all the insurance companies refusing to pay out benefits to survivors because there is no proof of death?” Alison continued as her own mother was one of those affected when her father went out to pick up dinner and never came home.  
“I believe that is something we can look into, but as there is no proof these people simply vanished what we may need is a database listing all of those who are missing so we can research further.”  
“It’s already been created. Whereismyfather.com. Anyone who is missing a loved one is asked to submit their information to the database. As I previously stated, over two-hundred and fifty MILLION men and women have been added. Including children.”  
Scully looked down at her lap as the reporters voice cracked on ‘children.’  
“There was nothing we could have done, you know that.” Mulder tried to reassure her, but knew it wasn’t possible.  
“As I said, we will look into it.” Colette smiled as she called on the next reporter.  
“Maybe that is something we can do.” Mulder said to his obviously distraught wife, “Insurance companies have been scamming people for decades. They pulled the same thing with the Holocaust. If you couldn’t produce a death certificate, they wouldn’t pay out.”  
“You think there’s enough insurance money in the country to cover two-hundred and fifty-million people?”  
Mulder nodded, “I think so. Biggest class action suit ever.”  
“I guess that’s one way to start rebuilding this country.”

Marita was on the phone when her assistant let Joy and William in. She smiled at the couple as she finished her phone call then looked at the two of them, “Sometimes it amazes me how much you two have grown.” She said directing them to sit in the two chairs in front of her desk. “What brings you to the second floor of the west wing? Oh, and thank you again for taking Allie ice skating. She had a fabulous time.”  
“She’s a great person.” William replied, “Funny you never mentioned her at the camp.”  
“Well, it never came up. She’s not like the two of you.” Marita shook her head and closed the notebook she had been jotting in, “Might have been better off if she was.”  
“What’s wrong with her?” Joy asked honestly concerned.  
“She has a mental illness.”  
“Depression?”  
“Schizophrenia.” Marita realized the more she talked about it, the easier it was to explain her daughter’s illness, “She’s not dangerous to anyone but herself. As it is she’s been in the daycare all morning helping and honestly having a blast, which I’m thankful for.”  
“That’s good…” Joy said looking at her husband to continue.  
“So, how many people from Camp Hell are we going to run into?” William blurted out.  
Marita leaned back and eyed the two, “I see the press conference started.”  
“Colette is one thing? But April!? I know she wanted to kill me.” Joy said taking a second to make sure the woman wasn’t behind her.  
“April is harmless, especially against you two.” Marita said looking at her monitor and typing something on her computer. After a moment she looked at the monitor, then Joy and William, “Twenty.”  
“Twenty…”  
Marita nodded, “Twenty people you may or may not have run into from the camp are working in some way for your mother’s administration. Including myself.”  
“Marita, Colette, April…that means seventeen more are out there…” Joy looked to Marita, “Do they know who we are?”  
Marita nodded, “They have to.”  
“Secret service?” William asked.  
“A few.” Marita folded her hands on her desk, “I’m sure you inherited your father’s paranoia which is to be expected, but the entire world isn’t out to get you. Quite the opposite actually. The goal here is to protect your family, not hurt them. That’s the reason we needed the two of you in The White House, to make it easier.”  
“I’m just not sure I can believe you.” William replied, “Given everything I’ve been through.”  
“That’s understandable, and if you want to stay guarded that’s entirely up to you, but I also feel telling your parents that twenty members of your mother’s staff are, different, may not be for the best.”  
“I won’t tell her. She has enough on her plate right now.” William replied given the whole bun in the oven situation in ADDITION to being Commander in Chief, “Not everyone at the camp was like us, some people were like Grace.”  
Marita nodded, “Grace was incredibly smart. Too smart. She was at the camp because her mother wanted us to keep an eye on her as she worked on the project. April, well she exhibits telekinesis due to an accident in her father’s lab which killed her mother.”  
“And you, what’s your …power?” Joy asked as she never had before.  
“I don’t have one.” Marita replied, “I was…a test subject. My only, gift, is eternal life….and even that isn’t a guarantee.”  
“Is that why Allie is sick?” William asked.  
“Possibly, her father was also tested on repeatedly by these same people. So, she doesn’t have any super powers, just a big heart and a very messed up mind.”  
“What about Colette?” Joy asked, “What is she?”  
“Colette…well…Colette was the first…Heather. She was made in Canada, and adopted by scientists in the states. The only difference between them is Colette wasn’t made to kill, like Heather.”  
Given how much Heather had changed in the six months, it was difficult to hear her referred to that way, “Heather’s more than that.” Joy replied softly.  
“You’ve been in contact?” Marita asked, “I thought she…vanished.”  
“Why would you say that?” Joy asked concerned, “She’s a good person.”

Marita took a deep breath, “No, she isn’t. You’re saying Heather is still alive?”  
William and Joy nodded, but that’s as far as they would take it. Soon, everyone would know who Heather was and the fact that Marita seemed to believe she needed to no longer be…living…had them more than a bit concerned.  
Getting up from her desk, Marita began to pace, she knew Heather was dangerous and needed to be destroyed, but there was a part of her – that motherly part – that thought maybe the monster was capable of change.  
Walking to the window, looking down at the lawn, Marita shook her head, “It’s hard to believe she’s stayed out there for six months and we didn’t know.” She said turning back to Joy and William, “From all accounts Avery Hunter is dead.”  
“This is true…” Joy said softly, “But Heather isn’t. She’s a wonderful person, Marita, really. She and Hannah- “ Joy realized she slipped up as Marita eyed her.  
“Who is Hannah?” Marita asked narrowing her gaze at Joy then William.  
“My cousin.” William replied not wanting Joy to be the only one to have screwed up.  
“Oh. That Hannah.” Marita replied as she had tracked down Scully’s niece years earlier, “They’re…together?”  
“Heather would never hurt her.” Joy replied, her voice almost shaking, “They really love each other.”  
“Heather isn’t CAPABLE of love. It’s not in her genetic makeup.” Marita replied as concern for the safety of Scully’s niece came over her.  
“It’s in everyone’s genetic makeup.” Joy replied looking at William and then back at Marita, “If you saw them together you’d know.”  
Marita sat down at the edge of her desk, “I will have to talk to some people, but as long as Heather maintains a low profile we shouldn’t have a problem.”  
“That may be a bit difficult.” William said, “She’s in Hollywood. Making a TV series.”  
Feeling the world’s biggest headache coming on, Marita rubbed her temples, “Of course she is. She perfected acting human.”  
“Who wants her…dead?” Joy asked softly, “Besides Grace, who is no longer with us, and April.”  
Marita shook her head, “You need to look at Heather as a rabid animal. She looks harmless, but she could turn at any moment.”  
The moment on the yacht when Heather grabbed her arm in such a way she was afraid it would break came to Joy’s memory, “She’s not like that anymore. You’ll see.”  
“I hope you’re right.” Marita said standing up and looking both of them dead in the eye, “For your cousin’s and this country’s sake.”  
Grabbing the dogs for a walk, Joy and William – requesting that the secret service stay behind which they granted – went for a LONG walk down Pennsylvania Ave.  
“If we tell her…” Joy started, “She’ll run. I know she will.”  
“And if we don’t, she could be in real danger.” William replied as Joey stopped to sniff everything on their route.  
“And Hannah WILL be devastated.” Joy sighed as she pulled out the little baggie while watching Chandler assume the position.  
Max was barking at a squirrel while William looked up the sky, “Such a perfect day, and everything is a mess.”  
“Not everything.” Joy replied, “She is pregnant, isn’t she?”  
William nodded then shook his head, “It doesn’t feel right, but what do I know.”  
“Is she happy?” Joy asked, “About it?”  
“Yes, she is.”  
“Then it is right. I didn’t appreciate April’s breeding comment one bit, but if the people who made you have more children, then maybe this world can be a better place.”  
“I guess I didn’t see it that way. And one day…far in to the future…we will have our own little freaks.”  
“The best freaks.” Joy smiled before kissing him on the cheek, “Now, I need to get back to class.”  
After a small, extremely vegan lunch where Scully never wanted to see another mushroom, she kissed her husband and daughter goodbye before returning to the Oval Office.  
Marita joined her soon after and their first meeting with Jason Crowley was precisely at one pm.  
As she adjusted Jason’s resume on her desk, he was currently serving as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third District in Philadelphia and would be driving in that morning. There was part of her nervous and excited to meet with Jason, so much so that Marita clearly noticed something was up with Scully as she adjusted and then readjusted her papers.  
“Nervous?” Marita asked the woman behind the resolute desk.  
Scully nodded, “Very.” She took a deep breath, “That meeting this morning still has me a bit shaken.”  
“Well, just remember that since it’s inclination with Kennedy, the nuclear football has as never been used. Nuclear war is the last think you need to worry about. Nagasaki was a different situation all together and we’re doing all we can to prevent any type of war from occurring.”  
“I know…I know..” Scully said, feeling the hard plastic card the size of credit card as it sat against her left breast, “I need to find a better place to put it.”  
“It’s in your bra, isn’t it?” Marita smirked.  
“First place I thought of.” Scully replied, “Have you heard from Alex?”  
“Casey is dilated seven centimeters. They may be there a while, so I told him we had this covered.”  
The intercom on one of the phones on her desk went off, Mary announcing that Jason had arrived and Scully instructed her to send him in.  
“It’s go time.” Scully said as she stood up to greet her former…friend.  
He was a bit larger than he was at seventeen, his dark hair now silver, wearing a nice black suit and pinstripe light blue tie, he extended his hand to Scully and smiled that perfect quarterback smile as she took his hand, “Very happy to meet you, Madame President.”  
Very happy to meet you? Scully smiled the less Joker like smile her son informed her was creepy as she shook his hand. Maybe he was playing coy as to not let on to Marita that they knew one another, or maybe he really did forget her.  
Just like he forget her on date night, leaving her all alone to watch John Travolta strut around in tight blue jeans and a cowboy hat.  
“Please, have a seat.” Scully said to Jason as she returned back to her seat behind the desk and picked up his resume, “Princeton.” She said, trying not to let the bitterness show, “Suma Cum Laude. Impressive.”  
Jason, sitting in the chair next to Marita, his hands folded on his lap nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”  
Ma’am? You’re three months older than me, Scully thought to herself as the smile remained on her face, “And you’ve worked at the third district court for the last ten years…” If you ma’am me again I’m tossing this paperweight at your face.  
“Yes.” He replied, seeming to sense that ma’am didn’t go over very well.  
“Family?” Scully said noticing the silver ring on his left finger.  
“Yes, I’ve been married twenty-seven years. Four children and my oldest just had our first grandchild.”  
“That’s sweet.” Scully replied trying to distance herself from her former…self. “Mr. Crowley, as you know, this used to be a lifetime appointment, but due to many circumstances over the years, we’re adjusting this. If we find cause to terminate your judgeship, you can and will be removed from the court.”  
Jason nodded, “Yes, I understand.”  
“Now, I choice the initial candidates, which is why you are meeting with me today, the next step is a formal hearing in front of congress.”  
Jason continued to nod in agreement.  
Unsure how long she was supposed to sit with a man who took her virginity, Scully leaned back and looked at the ceiling as the phone went off, “Ms. Scully.” Mary’s soft voice said on the intercom.  
“Yes?” Scully replied.  
“There’s a personal call for on line one.” Mary continued.  
Marita nodded, “Mr. Crowley, we would like you to meet with our Chief of Staff who is currently at the hospital with his wife, but I can assure you things look good from here.” She said ushering Jason out of the room.  
After the door closed, Scully picked up the phone, “Scully…” She was used to saying, “I mean…this is the president.”  
“Madame President, it’s Dr. Bernstein.” Emily’s voice said on the other end of the phone, “I just received your test results.”  
Even though she already knew the answer, she was anxious to hear them again from a qualified physician and not just a plastic stick. “Yes?”  
“I feel it’s best if you come down to my office.” Emily replied.  
Now feeling a bit nervous, Scully replied that she would be right down.  
As she left the office through the interior door, Jason was standing by Mary’s office as she walked by.  
“Dana…” Jason said causing her to stop in her tracks and turn and look at him.  
“Yes, Mr. Crowley.” She replied given she had more pressing matters.  
Handing her an envelope he then nodded, “Thank you for your time.”  
As he had already been screened before entering the West Wing, the Secret Service didn’t bat an eye as she folded the small envelope and placed it in her front blazer pocket.  
Dr. Bernstein was sitting at her small desk when Scully knocked on the open door. She smiled at Scully, who looked dismayed, “What’s wrong?” Dr. Bernstein asked.  
“Whatever you couldn’t tell me on the phone?” Scully replied crossing her arms and looking down at the woman as she entered the office.  
“Understandable.” Dr. Bernstein replied nodding at the door, “Close the door.”  
Feeling like her throat was closing out of fear, Scully did as she was asked and closed the door before turning back around, “Now can you tell me what’s wrong?”  
“I spent the morning looking over your medical history.” Dr. Bernstein said as she looked at her laptop, “It’s quite…”  
“Ah..” Scully said as she pulled herself up on the examining table. “Fascinating isn’t it.”  
“I would say so. Your blood test came with some abnormalities I couldn’t place.”  
“I guess I should have warned you.” Scully replied, “I generally run my own blood tests for that very reason.”  
“Well, aside from...that...I did find high levels of hCG. Roughly 100mIU, which means you are around two weeks pregnant.”  
“Two weeks?” Scully said racking her mind to remember two weeks earlier and her mind going fuzzy remembering a Saturday night in their temporary house and feeling incredibly…aroused, “I guess that fits.”  
“It’s just an assumption.” Dr. Bernstein added, “For now, I wouldn’t get too excited as many pregnancies fail in the first trimester.”  
“I’m well aware.” Scully replied, “I’ve only told my husband and son…and daughter-in-law.”  
“If you have any kind of spotting or pain, please call me immediately, I only live a mile away.”  
“Thank you, Doctor.” Scully said feeling relieved as she pulled herself off the table.  
“If all goes well, we’ll want to schedule an ultrasound at twenty weeks. Based on your age and…”  
“Abnormalities?” Scully smiled at the young doctor.  
“What are they? Exactly…” Dr. Bernstein asked Dana as she was honestly curious.  
“Alien DNA.” Scully smiled, noticing how Dr. Bernstein’s brown eyes widened “I’m kidding.”  
Dr. Bernstein exhaled in relief. “Funny…but seriously what are they?”  
Scully shrugged, “Nothing to worry about. Honestly. Thank you, Doctor.” She said before leaving and hoping Dr. Bernstein wouldn’t dig any further into her medical history.  
Using her official cellular phone, Scully blacked out May 4th on her calendar - as she was told to do if there was personal business she had to attend to. Seeing that date so far off in the future…she just hoped she made it.  
Eight more interviews with prospective justices ended the day by six, and it wasn’t until after dinner, when she was alone in the bathroom with the water running in the tub that the envelope Jason had given her fell out of her pocket as she hung her blazer up on the back of the door.  
Picking up the envelope which just read Dana on the front, she opened it and inside was a folded letter and a photo. The photo was a three-by-four professional photo of she and Jason at the junior prom. Her magenta dress even brighter than she recollected. Clearly, he did remember her.  
Dearest Dana,  
I never thought the day would come when our paths would cross again, but since they have, I realized I have something very important to say to you; I’m sorry.  
I was a stupid jock who fell hard for the smartest girl in school and it scared me. More than I thought anything could ever scare me. I know I caused you so much pain which I never intended, but seeing all you’ve accomplished now I can’t help but wonder if my fear was based in knowing I wasn’t good enough for you.  
When I received my ballot last year, and I saw your name I knew that fear I had when I was seventeen was true. I was so happy to vote for the first woman president and I know you will make this a better country for my children and grandchildren.  
I’ve never forgotten you,  
Jason  
Her eyes filled with tears, Scully folded the letter and placed it and the photo back in the envelope before turning off the bathwater.  
The Senate Judiciary Committee better confirm him.


	21. America Reborn

January 28th, 2020  
Tuesday morning didn’t exactly start on a good foot.  
Morning sickness hit at seven, and without warning, causing Scully to rush back to her bedroom and change into yet another suit – she seriously needed to order more – and wipe off the oatmeal from her charcoal blazer before finding another one to wear.  
One year old child on his hip, Mulder grabbed the blazer and tossed it in the dry cleaning bag which was on the same floor as the day care. The day before, he had Melissa with him, but as many had suggested, it was best for Melissa to start interacting with children around her own age.  
Or, at least mentally her own age.  
“Remember that burgundy suit with the shoulder pads? Mulder said, Melissa in her pink overalls and matching Chucks, the dry cleaning bag draped over his other shoulder, “I’d dare you to wear that now.”  
“I’m a bit too rattled to joke about early nineties fashion.” Scully replied as she went through the racks of clothing in her spacious walk in closet. “I’m photographed nearly every second of every day. I NEED to look professional.”  
“So, the flapper dress from Halloween is out as well.”  
“You’re funny, but I don’t need this now.” She nearly yelled as she felt her pulse quickening.  
Realizing that his humor was not wanted, Mulder walked into the closet and looked over the racks, “You’re wearing a red blouse.” He said to the woman wearing a red silk blouse, pantyhose and nothing else and trying to keep his mind on the what went with the blouse instead of mentally taking it off of her, “The navy blue suit works.”  
“It’s not too ‘look at me, I’m the American Flag?’’ she asked as she pulled the suit jacket from the rack, “My skin is white enough.”  
“I’m sure someone will make that joke, but yes you do need more black suits.”  
“Charcoal.”  
“Same difference.” Mulder replied as Melissa rested her head on his shoulder, “You haven’t told anyone, right?”  
“No.” She said, “Just you, the kids and the doctor. That’s it.”  
“Just…in case.” Mulder said, his mind going where he didn’t want it to.  
“I know.” She replied softly as she removed the blazer from the hanger and put it on, “Does it look ok?”  
Mulder nodded, “Yes, even better sans pants.”  
After making sure Scully was ok, and wearing pants, Mulder made his way down to the basement with his daughter and their dry cleaning. Dropping the bag off in the designated spot he walked towards the sound of kids playing.  
The room was large, with bookcases full of books, cubbies for backpacks and a large coat rack for coats, Mulder carried his daughter to the desk in front of the glass partition where a young blonde woman sat typing into the computer.  
“Excuse me…”he said as she was typing, “Is this where I check in?”  
“One moment.” The woman said before moving her hands from the keyboard and turning to Mulder, “OH!” she said standing up, “Welcome, sir! My name is Jane”  
“Please, I don’t need to be sir’ed.” Mulder replied, “Just need to check this little one in.”  
“Yes, sir…sorry.” She said picking up a clipboard from behind her, “Please just let us know if your little one has any kind of allergies and a contact number where we can reach you in case of an emergency.”  
“Pretty easy as I’ll be in the house.”  
“Yes sir- but it’s a rather large…house.”  
“True.” Mulder replied as he wrote down Melissa’s name and age and no allergies, but checked the vegan diet box.  
“Christmas day.” Jane shook her head looking at the clipboard, 2018, then back at Melissa with a quizzical expression, “I could have sworn she was three.”  
“They do grow up fast.” He replied as he was used to such a response and couldn’t help but think of the little one on the way, “Do you need anything else?”  
“Just a photo.” She said taking out her phone and snapping a quick shot of Melissa’s smiling face before air dropping the photo to her computer and typing in the information on the form before a sticker spit out of the machine next to her computer. Placing the sticker on a small, pink, rubber wrist band, and then a plastic cover over the sticker, she instructed Mulder to help extend Melissa’s left arm so she could put it on, “It has a QCR code with all your details. Kind of like a medical band but better.” Jane said, “Scan it with your phone.” Doing as instructed, Mulder scanned the code and an app Find My Child came up, “Install the app, and you will immediately be linked to your daughter. You will know where she is while you’re not with her.”  
“What if she takes it off?” Mulder asked.  
“She can’t.” Jane grabbed a wrist band slightly bigger than the one Melissa was wearing and placed it on her wrist, snapping it in place then trying to unsnap it with her fingers, “It won’t come off without this.” She said walking to the door where there was a large keypad with a red infrared light under it. She entered a six digit code and then placed her wrist, with the metal buckle under the light which then turned green and the bracelet fell into an opening underneath which immediately closed, “The system records when the child checks in and checks out. Each parent is given a unique code through the app which changes every day. At the end of the night, the bracelets are collected to be then distributed the next day. I know it seems sexist, girls pink, boys blue, but it really helps.”  
“And you know this works?”  
“The day care center has been open for about a month. We didn’t have as many kids until yesterday, but we’ve had plenty of time to work out all the kinks. I can assure you, your daughter is safe with us Mr. Mulder.”  
Mulder looked behind the glass where the children were playing, some at tables, some on the floor, “How many people work down here?”  
“Six.” She said, “We have eighteen children registered so that’s three kids per assistant. All licensed and certified child care workers.” She said looking directly at Allie as she sat at a table with two young boys putting Lego pieces together, “That’s Allie, she’s just a helper, but she did a great job yesterday so we are happy to have her here.”  
Mulder nodded, after Scully filled her in on Alex Krycek’s child he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the young woman, “She looks happy to be here.” He said as he watched Allie walk over to another area with children coloring.  
“I’m sure you have more important things to do than watch children play.” Jane said getting a bit annoyed with the overbearing first husband.  
“Not really.” Mulder shrugged, “But, you’re right.” He said looking at the blue dot - him – and the pink dot with his daughter’s face on it right next to each other on the map on his phone, “Do I just leave her here?”  
Jane smiled, glad he was finally letting her go, and walked Mulder to a glass door, “Enter the six digit code on your phone.”  
Mulder looked at his phone, then entered 569833 and the door slid open, allowing him entrance into the play room.  
“Lunch is at eleven, then naptime. We have some older kids that come over after school, but they haven’t bothered any of the little ones and mostly stay in their own area.” Jane said as they walked over to the area with kids around Melissa’s age.  
A little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes who Mulder instantly recognized jumped up from where he was playing with trucks. “MAWISSA!” he screeched.  
“TIMOFY!” Melissa shrieked as she kicked in her father’s arms.  
“They know each other?” Jane asked as Melissa squirmed to be let down.  
“They do.” Mulder replied not really wanting to mentioned they played together ONCE four months ago.  
Putting Melissa down on her little pink Chucks, the toddler went running to her friend and they hugged, in way you only see in movies before Timothy took her hand and walked her over to where he was playing with the other children.  
“She’ll be fine.” Jane smiled up at Mulder.  
“I won’t be.” Mulder said as he watched his daughter pick up a red dump truck and giggle.  
Thankfully no one had commented on Scully’s attire, red blouse and blue suit, as she sat in the briefing room with her staff, Mary taking notes as Jackie did the same. As Casey gave birth to a six pound seven ounce baby girl at two am, Ben was now running the meeting with his deputy chief of staffers and the two senior advisors chosen for Scully before she was inaugurated. Neither were related to her and both, well accomplished, looked to be in their early thirties.  
She hadn’t really had a chance to meet with Sarah Lambert and Douglas Harris until this morning. Sarah, was about her height with long red hair while Douglas was much taller and almost looked like Mulder’s long lost brother. It was clearly obvious why they were chosen. Sarah was in charge of the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental and affairs while also chairing the White House Council on Women and Girls which was created during the Obama administration in 2009 and was something Scully was very excited to learn more about. Sara received her B.A. from The University of Los Angeles and her J.D. from Stanford.  
“I’m forty-two.” Sarah said to her that morning before the meeting started, “I just look twelve.”  
Douglas Harris, thirty-six, was assigned to oversee the climate, conservation and energy police as well as advising Scully on a range of domestic and international policy issues. Born in France, Douglas had traveled the entire world before he was twenty years old and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Yale Law School by the age of twenty-two.  
She really did have the best and the brightest.  
“Starting February first.” Ben, with the happiness of his baby daughter finally being born which coupled with his punchiness from lack of sleep flowing through him, sat before his laptop near the large TV and displayed a sign, “America Reborn.” Of all the names to choose.  
Scully looked at the giant red letters with blue shadowing and just…blinked, “Reborn?”  
“It sounded good at the time.” Ben replied, “Anyway, from February 1st, to March 21st we will be visiting every state in the nation. ‘A day in each state tour’ as you may call it, to meet every day Americans and to talk about what they want and need from this administration and to assure them we will make this a better country.”  
“We…” Scully said looking at the table.  
“You.” Ben replied, “You, your husband and children.”  
Scully shook her head, “My nephew’s wedding is in February.”  
“Which day?” Ben asked.  
“The fourteenth.”  
Sarah rolled her eyes as Jackie groaned.  
“Hey, it’s the best way to force him to remember.” Scully said to the obviously single women. “We discussed this Ben, I’m not missing my nephew’s wedding.”  
“I’m sorry, I guess I forgot.” Ben said looking at his calendar, “I guess we could start it March 1st, ending on April 19th.”  
“Easter is April 12th.” Mary piped in as Scully’s calendar was in front of her, “We’ve scheduled a visit to the Vatican that day.”  
“Dammit.” Ben said looking at the calendar, “You will be visiting each state in order of statehood, with Delaware first and Alaska last…where is your nephew’s wedding being held?”  
“San Diego.”  
Ben sighed, “You can’t miss it?”  
“I won’t.” Scully replied firmly, “He’s my only nephew. I already missed my son’s and niece’s wedding.”  
“We could always delay it until after the meeting with the Pope.” Sarah said, looking at her own calendar. “Oh wait, May 4th is blacked out.” She said looking at Scully, “You’re not available that day?”  
Scully nodded, “It may change, but for now, no…I’m not available for personal reasons.”  
“Dana…” Ben said looking at her, “This is a very important tour. We need you to reassure Americans you are the leader they need you to be…and it’s best if you do it in person.”  
Scully nodded, “How about this…the wedding is on a Friday and the rehearsal dinner is the night before; I only need two days. Where will I be then?”  
“Rhode Island.” Everyone at the table looking at Ben’s initial calendar said in unison.  
Scully groaned a bit, “Ok, that’s not exactly close to California…but I guess I can sleep on the plane.”  
“You’ve never seen Air Force One have you?” Ben asked her.  
“The movie? No…pretty sure I fell asleep before the terrorists took over. Harrison Ford has that effect on me.” she said remembering that she had gone with Mulder on a Saturday night in 1997 – not a date – and they had just dealt with that guy with the tail and they just needed a breather and as always, she fell asleep.  
“I mean the plane.” Ben replied, “Inside of the plane”  
“No.” Scully shook her head, “I never have.”  
“It’s like a house.” Sarah replied, “It even has a bedroom and a master bath.”  
“Seriously?” Scully replied, “Seems like a waste of space.”  
“You won’t feel that way when you need to be in Australia.” Ben replied, “You’ll get a tour on Friday before you leave.”  
“That would be helpful.” Scully replied feeling like an idiot, but at the same time she’d been a little too busy to look up the interior of a plane.  
“It’s four-thousand square feet of floor space throughout three levels.” Douglas added, “I can’t wait to ride on it.”  
“Me too.” Scully leaned back. “Well, as long as I can be there for Matthew’s wedding, and then in…”  
“Kentucky.” The table again said in unison.  
Scully almost laughed at how in sync they were, “Then it’s fine. Only a two day delay.”  
“Which then ends the tour on March 22nd.”  
“I just have to adjust the hotel reservations.” Mary said typing into her computer, “Change the home rental in Montpelier from the fourteenth to the fifteenth?” she said looking at Scully and then Ben.  
“That’s fine.” Ben said, “Just adjust every reservation by two days.”  
“On it.” Mary said as she began typing away making Scully thankful she took a chance on the young woman.  
“Is this really my job?” Scully asked the table, “Just going around the country and shaking hands?”  
“There’s more to it than that.” Ben replied, “But given everything that’s happened, we just need to take some time to let people know we’re here for them; and seeing a such a loving family as yours won’t hurt either.”  
“Is Alex coming?” Scully asked him.  
“Alex will stay in town. His children are still in school and it’s your family the people want to see, Dana.”  
“My family.” Scully nodded, “We’re not exactly The Cleavers.”  
“No one is. That’s the point. We are pretty grateful your son and Joy got married though. That helps with certain demographics. She’s not…”  
Knowing exactly where Ben was going, Scully shook her head, “No, she isn’t.”  
“Good.” He sighed, “Don’t need that mess right now. Speaking of which, I have to run as they’re releasing Casey from the hospital soon and I need to get the kids out of daycare.” He said as he closed his laptop, which then caused the screen before them with the giant America Reborn letters to go black.  
“Congratulations, Ben.” Sarah said as Ben walked towards the door, “Seven…man.”  
“Do you ever think of having kids, Sarah?” Ben asked as he placed his hand on the door handle.  
“It’s too late for me.” She said shrugging.  
“It’s never too late.” He smiled before leaving.  
Sarah, confused, turned to Scully, “What did he mean by that?”  
Scully simply shrugged, “Guys, you never know what they mean.”  
Sarah nodded as she turned her attention back to her computer, “Well, we have two days before you leave on Friday to get your family fitted for your wardrobe.”  
“Wardrobe?” Scully questioned.  
“Yes, you can’t wear the same thing every day, people will notice.”  
“Are you saying I have to have fifty different outfits?”  
“Not exactly fifty, but enough that you’re not seen wearing the same thing more than once in a two week period. More like thirty different clothing options that work with where you’re going. Instead of a business suit like you’re wearing now, maybe jeans and a nice blouse when you’re in Austin, maybe even some nice cowboy boots and a hat.”  
“Mulder is going to love that.” Given she had never donned either in her life, she knew he would get way too much of a kick out of it.  
“Oh, he’ll be fitted for a specific wardrobe as well. All of you.”  
“Like we’re characters in a play.”  
“Aren’t we all just playing parts?” Sarah shrugged, “The tailors will be here at nine am tomorrow for your fittings and later in the day a stylist will come just to help with your hair and makeup.”  
“And I have no say in this..”  
“Sadly, no.” Sarah said before closing her computer, “It will be fine, Dana.”  
Scully had asked her advisors and Mary to call her Dana, as it felt so formal to be called Madame President by people she worked so closely with and as Douglas and Sarah left the room, Scully let out a deep breath and looked at Mary. She had lost some weight, probably from stress, and even seemed pale, “Are you ok, Mary?”  
Mary, typing away as she rescheduled twenty-three hotel reservations, nodded as she logged into the secure portal to change the reservation at the Four Seasons in Santa Fe. “What?” she asked, her eyes dazed after staring at the photos of the Encanto Suite.  
“Are you ok?” Scully asked again.  
“I’m fine. I have to put my pets in a kennel for nearly two months so I’m not too thrilled about that.”  
“I guess they didn’t think about that.” Scully replied thinking of her own pets and their needs. “I don’t even know who will care for mine since William has to be with me.”  
“Are you kidding?” Mary replied aghast. “You have an entire staff. I’m sure someone can watch your pets for two months.”  
“I wouldn’t force that upon the staff.” Scully replied, “I guess we’ll both have to find boarding.”  
“On it.” Mary replied almost in a robotic tone.  
“I guess I need to get used to other people doing things for me.” Scully said as she smiled at the young woman.  
“Fifty days?” Mulder questioned as they sat at the dining room table in the residence, “Two whole months?”  
Scully nodded, “Almost…they just sprung this on me today.”  
“Including Hawaii?” Joy asked, “I really loved it there.”  
“It is a state.” Scully said as her baked zucchini and potatoes no longer looked appetizing. “And we have two days of being fitted for our wardrobes.”  
“Well, you did need new clothes.” Mulder said finishing off his meal, “I guess it shouldn’t be boring.”  
“Wait till we get to Bismarck. In March.” Scully replied picking up her plate, “We’re going to each state in order of statehood.”  
“So, Hawaii last.” Joy added. “What about my classes?”  
Scully shook her head, “There’s always WIFI. I’m pretty sure the plane has it.”  
“The plane…” William replied as his eyes widened and he turned to his wife, “Air Force One!” he nearly squealed like a little girl.  
Joy, looking at the man next to her like he was insane, shook her head, “I married a child.”  
“We both did.” Scully said as she walked out of the room, her husband behind her.  
Placing her plate with half a serving of dinner still on it on the counter, Scully gripped the edge of the counter as a wave of uneasiness came over her.  
“I don’t like this.” Mulder said placing his empty plate in the sink, “This feels like too much stress.”  
“I’m fine.” Scully sighed opening her eyes and starting straight ahead at the white tile, “It’s only fifty-two days with Matthew’s wedding two weeks in.”  
“That much traveling can’t be healthy for anyone.” Mulder said in a bit more than a whisper, “And now…” he continued gesturing towards his wife’s abdomen.  
“I can’t quit.” Scully replied.  
“I’m not suggesting that…” Mulder said, “Just… maybe you should tell them?”  
Shaking her head she picked up one of the now cold potatoes and popped it in her mouth, “It’s too early.” She said before swallowing, “I probably shouldn’t have even told you.”  
“Probably.” Mulder sighed and crossed his arms, looking out the window at the darkness outside, “Just do me a favor, if anything feels wrong you’ll tell me.”  
“I will.”  
“Because…as God as my witness I’ll pack up a car and head right out of here. I care more about you than this job.”  
“I know you do.” Scully replied looking back down at her plate.  
“Good..” He said sighing, “I’ll go give Melissa her bath.”  
After twenty-minutes of the Rubber Ducky song and changing his daughter into her pink fleece pajamas with unicorns on them, Mulder carried his clean and dry daughter into her room, where his wife was sitting at the little table with the tea set, holding a doll in a blue dress with dark brown yarn for hair.  
“What would you do?” she said looking at the doll as Mulder pulled the covers from Melissa’s bed, “If you were me?”  
“President of the United States, fifty-five and pregnant?” Mulder asked as he placed Melissa on the bed and pulled the covers over her.  
Scully nodded as she placed the doll on the table, “And terrified.”  
“Terrified how?”  
“I realized, while pregnant with Melissa, that in the course of ten years I probably had about five miscarriages. As I’ve never been regular, since…everything happened… I just assumed I was just…heavy…for a few weeks. I know it sounds stupid coming from a medical professional, but…looking back I’m sure that’s what it was. Why we didn’t have a successful pregnancy back then I’ll never understand, and now…with everything that’s happened…”  
“If I could put you in a bubble I would.” Mulder said as he tucked Melissa in and handed her Violet.  
“I know.” Scully said, “Given my age, people are going to talk…”  
“I don’t care.” Mulder replied looking down at the little girl in the bed playing with the left ear of her stuffed dog, “Just tell them you’re immortal.”  
A small smile came across her lips, “That will go over well.”  
“It’s probably best we don’t think about it too much.” Mulder replied walking over to the table and picking up the doll, “Just keep it too ourselves until we have to tell someone.”  
“At least I have the best medical care in the country…” Scully chuckled, “It’s only four years…”  
Mulder nodded, “A lot can happen in four years.”  
Friday January 30th, 2020  
For two days the Mulder family had their measurements taken and various clothing fitted. On Friday a spa was reserved for hair, pedicures and manicures. Three inches were taken off Scully’s locks, leaving her auburn hair roughly the same length she had it when she and Mulder had to go underground. The stylist then touched up her roots – giving the darker brownish red a brighter copper color – which initially scared Scully, but given she had the same done while pregnant with Melissa she wasn’t too worried. Joy, who had loved having hair that she could tie into a bun, was getting tired of the management of hair that reached her lower back, but still closed her eyes as the stylist cut nearly a foot of hair from her head. She honestly felt lighter after seeing her new locks draped only an inch or so over her shoulders. As the Ariel coloring she had nearly a year earlier had faded, the stylist recommended a strawberry blonde shade close to her regular color so that as it grew out it wouldn’t be as obvious. As she sat in the chair next to her mother-in-law, she looked at Scully’s reflection in the mirror and saw so much fear in her eyes. She wished there was something she could do to reassure her that everything would be ok, but knowing she couldn’t, Joy instead pulled her hand out from under the drape and reached over, looking directly at Scully and smiling.  
Scully turned to her left and nodded at the young woman, her teenage face full of so much wisdom and a smile came over her face as well before she removed her arm from the arm rest and took Joy’s open hand in hers.  
They were going to be ok.  
By five, the family had fresh haircuts, manicures and pedicures. Even though stylists would be traveling with them for the entire tour, they had the basics to be camera ready for the America Reborn – she still hated the name – tour. Escorted back to the house, arrangements were confirmed to have someone – properly vetted – come in and take care of the animals. Mary’s pets as well. The flight would leave at eight am for the forty-minute flight to Dover. There, they would arrive at the Dover Air Force Base to the Chase Center On The Riverfront in Wilmington where over five hundred people had signed up to attend the three hour event, most by video as the auditorium could only hold a little over two hundred people and security would take up a bit of that.  
Looking over the itinerary as she sat up in bed, the uneasiness came over her again. Roughly, it was only three hours of work as the meeting ended at three, and then they would be escorted to their hotel rooms at the connected Westin Hotel before leaving the next morning for Philadelphia for another meeting where she had to look into the eyes of people who survived the most horrific event imaginable and tell them they were going to be ok.  
“I’m officially sick of telling the moon goodnight.” Mulder said as he entered the bedroom, closing the door behind him before falling onto his back on the bed next to his wife, “She has a LIBRARY of books and keeps wanting that one.”  
“She’s one.” Scully replied, “Maybe by the time she’s two you can move on to The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”  
Mulder smiled as he turned over and looked at the woman scrolling on her iPad, “What are you looking at?”  
“My itinerary…our itinerary. I have to give a speech and then sit and answer questions for three hours.”  
Mulder cringed, “Even someone’s rallies didn’t last that long.”  
“I can’t make promises I can’t keep.”  
“All politicians do.”  
“But didn’t people vote for me because I’m not a politician?” Scully said sighing as she scrolled through her week, “Tomorrow, Delaware, Sunday Pennsylvania, then New Jersey and Georgia…Friday we’ll be in Maryland where people I actually might know could show up…and who knows what they will ask.”  
“All you can do is be yourself and not worry about what people may or may not ask. You will be fine…”  
Scully turned off the iPad and placed it on the nightstand, “Dr. Bernstein will be traveling with us. Apparently this is common with all leaders.”  
“Makes sense…honestly… we all want you to be ok. ” Mulder said as he sat up in the bed and looked at his wife, “Like I said, say the word and we’re out of here…I know how to stay underground.”  
“I know.” Scully replied given that was a time in her life she’d rather forget, “My hope is it doesn’t come to that and we can finally live normal lives.”  
“Our lives will never be normal.”  
“Well, somewhat normal.”


	22. Delaware

Saturday, February 1st, 2020  
Morning sickness always seemed to hit exactly at seven am, regardless of whether or not she had other priorities. The drive to Andrews Airforce Base was roughly thirty minutes, and by now she knew not to bother dressing until the nausea passed and after she felt well enough to do just that and grab a bagel with strawberry jam on her way out the door, she was in the back of the Beast with her family awaiting nearly two months of non-stop traveling and meetings.  
None of this felt real. Especially since she had really only worked in the oval office two days before being sent away for fittings and styling. She did really like her new haircut and manicure, but it really felt like she was just being put on display and not being allowed to actually RUN the country.  
Maybe she was just being paranoid – it does have the ability to rub off on people…  
Seeing the large Boeing 747-8 with United States of America in all caps sent a shiver down Scully’s spine. There was an equally large crowd gathered outside the area and as they got closer to the plane, cameras began to go off and Scully feared the nausea would return – from more than the zygote.  
“You’ve got this.” She heard her son say, but the car was silent. She really wished he would stop doing that.  
Unbuckling Melissa out of the car seat, Mulder placed her on his lap as they waited for the doors to open. He didn’t even bother asking if the woman next to him was ready, he watched as she looked out the door and waved at the cameras flashing and started to think she was born for this.  
The fifty foot walk from the car to the steps of the plane felt twice as long as cameras went off, reporters asked stupid questions like what designers Scully would be wearing – which she ignored mostly because she had no clue – and eventually was able to tune out the noise as she began the walk up the stairs, her family directly behind her.

The Presidential Suite directly to her right, with a staircase to her left, she followed the young attractive black female head steward past the Presidential office and the medical office where Dr. Bernstein was already in place – which made her wonder why the doctor scheduled a visit at Walter Reed that next Friday. Walking past the galley where the smell of coffee - which seemed to upset the zygote and made Scully wonder if she would ever be able to drink coffee again – past the senior staff room which was empty, a small room with six seats, three face to face and a high chair in one of them, a conference room and the office staff where Mary, Collette, Jackie, Sarah and Douglas along with a few people she hadn’t yet met who were already in their seats drinking the morning wake up juice Scully already missed.  
“This is a new plane.” The steward Jessica Marshall who welcomed the family said, “We started designing it back in 2019 and then …well.” She said as she turned to the family, “Once you were elected we made some more changes to accompany your family as I was told you would want them to be with you at all times.”  
Scully wasn’t sure who would tell them that, but they weren’t exactly wrong.  
“The presidential suite has been redesigned to accompany one full bed, instead of two twins, we’ve also added two other bedrooms behind your office to accompany your children.”  
“Giving the plane more of a family flare.” Mulder said as he adjusted the little one in his arms.  
“Yes, sir.” Jessica smiled at Mulder as she continued the tour, “The plane used to have a large press area, but aside from the videographer and photographer we no longer feel the need for them to ride on the plane so that has been cut down to just a small room for the two members of your staff and the eight piece security section.”   
As they got to the end of the plane, where the agents who had had accompanied the family to the air force base were now sitting, they were directed to take their seats in the private family room they had passed with the car seat in place for take-off. Since it was such a short flight they would have a brief meeting with the staff when they arrived at the hotel in Wilmington.  
“How do you feel?” Mulder asked his wife after moving the car seat to the seat next to the window so Melissa could look out.  
“Like hundreds of butterflies are lose in my stomach.” Scully replied buckling herself in as her son and Joy sat in the seats across from them, “Maybe by Alaska I’ll feel less anxious.”  
“BIRDIE!” Melissa screeched as a bird flew by the window.  
“Maybe we just need to learn to take joy in the simple things.” William said as he watched his sister smiling without a true care in the world.  
She also hadn’t woken up screaming in weeks which made William honestly wonder what was going on in her little mind.  
“I don’t understand how we couldn’t have driven here.” Mulder said as they were escorted off the plane, his one year old daughter now asleep in his arms, and walked to a large security vehicle also fully equipped with a car seat.  
“Security.” Scully replied, “As I already asked the same question.”  
“Of course you did.” Mulder replied as he strapped the sleepy one into her car seat, “Think about it, she’s going to see all fifty states before her second birthday!”  
“Too bad she won’t remember.” Scully replied.  
“I have a strange feeling she will.” Mulder said as he put on his seat belt and looked to his son who simply shrugged.   
Joy scrolled through her emails with her right hand as she gnawed on her left thumbnail.  
“What’s wrong?” William asked her.  
“Nothing.” She said turning off her phone and tossing it in her bag.  
He knew it wasn’t nothing, but also knew this was not the time to prod.  
After getting settled in their one bedroom suite, which Scully felt was far too extravagant for one night, she left her husband and daughter to attend the pre event meeting with her staff where she was introduced to Emily Woods, a thirty-year old published young adult author who had been hired as Scully’s speech writer.  
“Now, most of the time you’re going to be asked questions about what your plans and polices are.” Emily started as she looked down at her laptop, “That’s where you will really shine, I’m just here to help with the little introductory speeches. I’ve been working on finding out the most interesting things about each state. Delaware is easy in some ways as it was the first state to ratify the constitution and join the Union on December 7, 1787. The largest population of horseshoe crabs resides in the Delaware Bay, it’s the second smallest state….it’s the chemical capitol of the world…” The young woman with bright blonde hair and eyes bluer than Scully had ever seen, chuckled a bit as she looked up at the woman before her, “Honestly, I’m much better at describing how well defined a man’s upper body is.”  
“And I’m much better at cutting into one.” Scully shrugged as she looked at the rest of her staff just staring at the two of them, “How about this…I just...wing it.”  
“Really? I don’t believe I’m being paid for you to wing it…”  
“Well, we’ll see how it goes. I’m sure you can think of way to describe Pennsylvania tomorrow.”  
“I just know I can’t wait to get a cheesesteak.”  
“I admire that passion…for food.”  
With an hour left before her first big conference where she would be forced to look every day citizens in the eye, Scully ate a spinach with raspberry vinaigrette salad as fast as she could as her husband had the same and Melissa settled for carrots and humus as the restaurant didn’t have peanut butter and jelly.  
They could hear people as they entered the auditorium, standing in another meeting room before being walked in by security. Her staff was already seated in the back as they waited for the moment they were told to enter the auditorium. All attendees were properly screened before they were allowed entrance into the room, but the six agents seated in various parts of the auditorium – with two beside her at all times - were still keeping their guard up.  
At a little after noon, six other agents began to walk the family into the auditorium. Cell phones were put in security bags and held at security and anyone caught with one would be removed, so all Scully saw were nameless faces watching her as she walked down the stairs to the front of the hall.   
There was no podium, as it had been removed and replaced with five chairs at least eight feet from the front row where there were two women and eight young children. Scully smiled at the children, her eyes focusing on one young Asian girl with long black hair holding onto a blonde Cabbage Patch kid. There was a chair with a microphone where another woman sat down next to Scully, smiling as she picked up the microphone.  
“Good afternoon.” Rebecca Thomas, an older woman with silver highlights who honestly reminded her of her grandmother, said to the crowd before turning to Scully, “We are honored to be the first stop on your America Reborn tour.”  
Every time Scully heard that title she wished she could think of something better, but given she couldn’t, she chose instead to smile and nod as that’s what she was supposed to do.  
“Given we’d like to get to as many of our Delawareans questions as we can, I’ll hand the mic off to you, Ms. Scully, as my associates standing in the aisles will hand their microphones off to those in the audience.”  
“Thank you, Ms. Thomas.” Scully said into the microphone, being taken aback hearing her voice echo in the hall. She had taught to classes roughly half this size, but hearing her voice amplified was a whole new experience, “And I’d like to thank you all for coming out today. In all honesty, I’m quite nervous talking to a crowd this size, but I’m anxious to hear your questions.”  
“Then why did you even run for President?” A young male voice yelled in the crowd.  
Scully kept her professional smile on as she shook her head a bit, “Because I wanted to help make the world a better place.”  
Most of the crowd clapped in applause as she felt she jumped her first hurdle.  
Only two hours and thirty-five minutes to go.  
“What do you plan to do about the minimum wage?” A young woman named Darla asked, “It’s been $7.25 since 2009. Even if it just went up a dollar an hour it would be $18.25 by now.”  
“That is a very good question.” Scully replied into the microphone, “And something I’m very deeply invested in changing. Everyone deserves to make a living wage and the fact it has not gone up in that time is incredibly upsetting. I can assure you that I will work with congress to hammer out a bill to increase the minimum wage to an acceptable level.”  
Mulder looked at his wife, where the hell was all of this coming from? She had been so nervous, but for every question that came out she had a polished answer – like an established politician. Two hours into this and she knew exactly what to say in regards to gun legislation, healthcare and taxes. He was so in awe of his wife that he didn’t even notice when a question was directed at him.  
“What?” Mulder said as the woman standing in the second row, whose name was Angela and she seemed to be about fifty, looked at him.  
Scully nudged him a bit as she handed him the microphone.  
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” he asked feeling stupid as Melissa tried to grab the microphone out of his hands.  
The woman smiled and repeated her question, “How does it feel to be married to the first female President of The United States?”  
Mulder nodded and turned to his left, looking into the deep blue eyes of the most beautiful woman he had every laid eyes on. “Incredible.” He replied.  
The woman awed a bit too loudly into the microphone which was followed by a few laughs before the mic was handed off to one of the women in the front row. The woman, a tall black woman with her hair in long braids looked at the people on the stage and fought her nerves as she looked down at the children next to her, “My name is Paige Williams.”  
“Hi Paige.” Scully said into the microphone.  
“My wife, Addison and I…” she said looking at a dark blonde woman on the other side of the aisle, “We opened a center for children with parents who went missing on July 4th.”  
Scully looked at the children between them, all ages, races and genders, her eyes focusing again on the young girl with the Cabbage Patch Kid. “That’s incredibly kind of you.” Scully said.  
“Thank you.” Paige said as she tried to calm herself enough to get to the actual question, “We had to reach out for donations as we didn’t realize what a task it would be.”  
“How many children are in your care?” Scully asked.  
“Seventy-five between the ages of one and seventeen.”  
The room became very quiet, “Seventy-five…” Scully wanted to make sure she heard the right number.  
“Yes, ma’am.” Paige said, “We had an interior design series so with our funds and the help of the community, we were able to secure land in Millville to create a safe haven for these children. We purchased an old school house, where we have twenty bedrooms, four children to each room, four kitchens and fifteen full functioning bathrooms as well as a full fitness center and pool.”  
“That sounds like an amazing endeavor.” Scully replied just trying to picture such a building, “Please let me know how I can help.”  
Thankful that she was continuing the conversation, as her personal secretary assured her she would when the tenth call she made was finally transferred to someone who wanted to help her, Paige nodded, “These are incredible children, who more than anything need loving families. Some, don’t even remember their parents, and others, like Madison here.” Paige said looking down at the young girl Scully couldn’t take her eyes off of, “are just so confused. We set up a website - Millville’s Kids - where people can donate, or look into adopting these beautiful children.”  
“How old is Madison?” Scully asked Paige.  
“She’s four.” Paige replied.  
Scully looked at her husband, tears building up in her eyes…she knew they couldn’t…but…  
Mulder nodded as he took the microphone from his wife, “Paige, can we talk to you at the end of the meeting?”  
Paige excitedly shook her head, “Yes!”  
After a few more questions that Scully continued to give the right answer to, the crowd was let out except for Paige and Madison. The young girl held tightly onto the doll as Scully walked over and kneeled before her, “Hi Madison, my name is Dana.”  
“She doesn’t speak.” Paige said, “Not since we found her.”  
“Where did you find her?” Scully asked sitting in the empty seat next to Madison as her family sat in the other open seats beside her.  
“In a field of all places. “We don’t even know if that’s her name…the doll had Madison Jane written on it…but she seems to be ok with us calling her that.”  
“How do you know she’s even four?” Mulder asked as he could feel how taken with this young child his wife was.  
“The doctor we took her to made a rough guess. We’re still sorting through medical records trying to match them to all the kids. It was so much easier with the teenagers.”  
“It really is a wonderful thing you’ve done.” Scully said as she watched the young girl keep her eyes on the doll in her arms, “I’d like to help in any way possible.”  
“I really appreciate that.” Paige said feeling so overwhelmed and not expecting this kind of reaction. “If we could somehow get access to birth records for the state we might be able to find out more about these kids. We don’t feel comfortable putting ones like Madison up for adoption without their complete medical history.”  
“I believe I can find someone to assist with that.” Scully said looking at her son who nodded, “Also, I’m sure you’re not the only one trying to help the children left behind.”  
“Oh, we’re not. You have no idea, well you might, how many children are out there without homes…it was already too many, but after last July…”  
Scully nodded, “Well, thank you for bringing this to my attention, Paige. You’ve now given me a platform.” She said standing up as she knew security would be on her case soon, “Please, give my son your information and he will be happy to help you out.”  
Taking his cue, William stood up and walked over to Paige, placing her name and phone number into his phone as his parents were escorted out.  
Paige shook her head as she watched Scully leave before turning to William, “Is she for real?”  
William nodded, “She is.” He smiled as he kneeled down before Madison, looking at her in the eyes, “You’re going to be ok.” He said to the girl who gave him a small smile in return before standing up, “I’ll be in touch.” He said to Paige before taking Joy’s hand and heading towards the exit.  
“Your mother is going to adopt her isn’t she?”  
“I think that’s a given.” He said, “Once we find out who she really is.”  
The River Rock Kitchen in the hotel was reserved for just Scully and her family between the hours of five and seven and by the time they got seated, Scully was starving, but her mind was in so many places.  
“It’s probably not the best idea right now…” Mulder said to his wife as he looked over the menu, “But…I understand and will support any decision you want to make.”  
“I just can’t stop thinking about her.” Scully said as she settled on the tomato soup minus the cream and crispy brussels sprouts. “The second I saw her…”  
“I know the feeling.” Mulder replied, “I just hope you don’t get attached to a kid in every state.”  
“We have the room.” William replied as he typed on his laptop, looking into the birth records of every child born in the state of Delaware between 2015-2016, then narrowing it down to females of Asian descent, “I sure hope she was born in Delaware.”  
“I appreciate you putting a rush on this.” Scully said as she watched her son work his magic.  
“I appreciate having something to do.” William replied.  
Joy was chewing on her straw in her Diet Coke, her mind twenty other places.  
“What’s wrong?” Mulder said to the young woman sitting across from him.  
“I missed my Chemistry midterm. I completely forgot it was this morning.”  
“I’m sure you can make it up.” Scully added, “Extenuating circumstances.”  
“I don’t want to.” Joy said looking directly at her mother-in-law, “I don’t want to be a doctor anymore.” She said looking at everyone at the table, “I can’t remember when I really did.”  
Trying not to feel crushed over such a statement, Scully nodded, “What do you want to do?”  
“I don’t know…well, I didn’t know until today.” She said looking at the table, “I want to do what Paige is doing. Helping kids without homes.”  
“I think that’s a big challenge, but I know you can do it.” Scully replied, coming to terms with the pain in her heart over medical school.  
After dinner, William and Joy returned to their room as William continued going through thousands of birth records, while Scully and Mulder retired to their suite. Putting Melissa to bed, on a sofa bed surrounding her with extra pillows, her parents laid on either side of her as Mulder read The Runaway Bunny. Scully focused on her daughter’s big blue eyes as she watched her father read, so grateful every day that God had given her this second chance…and now possible third chance…at motherhood. Twenty-two pages in, Melissa’s eyes were closed and her body was still as she peacefully slept. Not wanting to disturb her, her parents slowly got out of the bed at a pace that a sloth could outrun before turning on the baby monitor and closing the door.  
“As incredible as today was…” Scully whispered as they walked away from the closed door, “The moments with just the three of us are probably my favorite part.  
Mulder nodded, ”Mine too.”  
“Moments we missed with William…and honestly…I can’t wait to do it all over again.”  
Mulder nodded again as he smiled at the woman he never tired of looking at, “How are you feeling?”  
“Fine.” Scully replied, “Like with Melissa, I never really felt pregnant…minus the occasional morning sickness which seems to be a lot more on schedule this time around.”  
“And you will tell me if you start to not feel fine, right?” Mulder prodded as he followed his wife to the large windows overlooking the Daniel S Frawley Stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks.  
Scully nodded as she looked out the window, “But I still can’t stop thinking about Madison…I know it’s crazy…but I just felt a strange connection with that child. Not like I did with Emily, it wasn’t maternal…well, maybe it was…it’s just hard to describe, but I just…I want her in our lives.”  
Placing his arm around her waist, Mulder pulled his wife closer to him as she rested her head against his right shoulder, “I understand, but like with Emily I don’t want you to get too attached to this child; considering everything else at stake right now.”  
Scully nodded, “I know…I know…” she sighed as they watched the headlights from the cars on the interstate pass behind the darkened stadium, “Forty-nine states to go.”  
“And thirty-seven weeks.”


	23. Madison

Sunday, February 2nd, 2020  
Marita woke up a little past six am. The high today in Washington was only forty-six so she really didn’t have much planned for the day. Honestly, it was nice knowing now that all she had to do was go to a job five days a week and work on creating a better country - minus the usual weekly visits with Jefferson updating him on their progress.   
With Scully out on her America Reborn – such a stupid name – Tour, her family under the close and constant protection of the secret service, the remaining staff was busy drafting policies for her to push through with that perfect smile. Saying that Scully was simply a pretty mouth piece was demeaning to her and their gender, but it did help that she was gorgeous, smart AND capable. Marita, Alex and Ben were up until the wee hours Friday night drafting the National Healthcare platform which would make insurance companies obsolete – as their CEOs were already eliminated in the event – and the fact this would give every citizen the same, and best, healthcare options possible just made Marita feel she was finally on the right side of history.  
Putting on her thick, polyester and fleece graphite robe and placing her longer than she ever had them before blonde locks in a messy bun on the top of her head, Marita made her way down to the kitchen where her daughter was already sitting at the kitchen table flipping through the morning paper.  
“Morning!” Marita said as she walked into the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee overwhelming her senses.  
“I made coffee.” Allie said looking up as her mother walked over to the coffee maker.  
Marita looked at the full coffee pot, then at her daughter, “You don’t drink coffee.” She said looking at the can of Diet Coke next to the paper.  
“But you do.” Allie said as she turned a page and looked up at her mother, the British accent she had developed starting to fade the longer she was back in the states.  
“Thank you.” Marita said, impressed that her daughter thought of her and that she had seemed to be in better spirits over the last few days. “You sound like you’re in a good mood.”  
Allie shrugged, “You never know what tomorrow will bring, so I’ll take advantage of the days when my brain isn’t telling me to die.”  
Marita silently cringed at her daughter’s statement, but she had to empathize as she had no idea what her daughter went through every day; all she could do was support her as much as possible. “But the meds are working?”  
Allie nodded, “I’m feeling less like a zombie so I guess they’re stabilizing. I’m still not hungry though.”  
Given her extremely small frame, Marita had to agree, “Well, at least try to eat.”  
Nodding again, Allie turned the page of the paper, “I was thinking we could go to a movie today. You seemed too tired yesterday to do anything.”  
“Yes, Ben and I were working until the sun came up…trying to put together the perfect plan to give every citizen equal healthcare. No one can be denied regardless of their age or health.”  
“That’s awesome.” Allie said smiling at her mother, “You really do want to make this country a better place.”  
Taking her favorite coffee cup out of the dishwasher, which was thankfully run the night before, Marita poured a cup of Joe before taking a large sip and sighing, “You have no idea how much we need to.”  
“What exactly happened last summer?” Allie asked, “Because I hear people talking about it…millions of people just…vanished?”  
Marita nodded, “That’s essentially what happened?”  
“But why?”  
Not wanting to tell an already emotionally troubled young woman the complete details as to why July 4th happened, Marita simply shrugged at her eighteen-year old daughter, “Something very bad, and we need to do all we can to make sure it doesn’t happen again. To anyone.” Given if the US failed in rebuilding itself then the same ‘virus’ would be released on the entire planet and only then would the truly worthy survive.  
Which didn’t include most of the population.  
“Oh…” Allie said sensing her mother didn’t really want to talk about it the same way Jason Lewis didn’t like talking about the car accident he was in where he lost his parents and little sister. Jason, was the ONLY person in England she missed. “OH!” Allie said remembering what was on the front page of The Washington Post when she brought it in from the porch that morning, “Your boss is on the front page.”  
“Not surprising, she is on a fifty state tour.” Marita replied as she sat down across from her daughter as Allie closed the paper and slid it to her mother.  
Seeing the words President Scully was still shocking, but seeing the color photo of Scully kneeling down and talking to a small child almost caused Marita to choke on her coffee.  
“What’s wrong?” Allie asked seeing the way her mother’s eyes almost bolt out of her head.  
“I know this child…” Marita said looking at the name Madison, “Madison Johansson.”  
“How?” Allie asked.  
“Her mother was one of the scientists who helped us develop…” Marita stopped herself before continuing to say a vaccine which would keep your body from spontaneously combusting, “Something incredibly important last year…but I don’t see her mother in this photo.”  
“In the article, it said the President met with orphans…children left behind after the event.”  
Feeling like her heart plummeted into her stomach, Marita slowly shook her head as her eyes focused on Madison and then the article itself, “Found in a field…holding her doll.”  
Closing her eyes, Marita leaned back and shook her head before a simple, “Fuck…” left her lips.   
“It sounds like this happened in every state…” Allie said softly picking up her can and finishing what was left of the only thing she craved lately – which also kept her from sleeping all day.  
Marita nodded, “Her name was Celeste. She was brilliant. Like the Marie Curie of our time.”  
“And Madison’s father?”  
“She didn’t have one. Well, not in the traditional sense. Celeste wanted a child, but didn’t have the time to date. She was forty when she gave up and was artificially inseminated. She said the donor was also a scientist, from Japan, with an 180 IQ who was also a classical pianist. Celeste was a blonde haired, blue eyed Jewish woman who just wanted a baby and when Madison was born I’ve never seen someone so happy. The first two and a half years of her life she was with us every day. Celeste wore one of those front baby holders as she worked in the lab. Madison turned three last August.” Marita stood up and looked at the time on the stove, “I need to call Scully.”  
“What about the movie?” Allie asked as she was honestly looking forward to actually spending time with her mother.   
“Later, for now we need to go to Delaware.”  
Well, a road trip was better than nothing.  
Knowing once again to wait until her stomach settled itself, Scully was just getting out of the shower when she heard her phone going off. THAT phone.  
Throwing a towel around her body and rushing into the main room where Mulder was flipping through the channels, she rumbled through her purse until she found the ringing phone, “Scully.” She answered mostly out habit.

Marita, already dressed in jeans and a black sweater with matching leather coat, Allie following in the same outfit making the two look like twins as they walked to her car outside their Georgetown brownstone, was thankful Scully picked up, “Dana, I need to talk to you about the event yesterday.”  
“Is the press slamming me?” Scully asked sitting down on the edge of the bed as Mulder muted the TV.  
“The opposite really. The Washington Post front page has a photo of you talking to a young girl. Madison?” Marita said as she fumbled with the keys in her car to unlock her black Audi Q5.  
Grateful she wasn’t being criticized on the first day of the tour, Scully nodded, “Yes, very adorable young girl. Special…really.” Was all she wanted to really say at this time.  
“You have no idea.” Marita said as she got into the car, “What exactly was the story?”  
“These two women found her alone in a field after the event. She was holding a blonde Cabbage Patch kid and she won’t speak. They aren’t even sure her name is Madison.”  
“It is.” Marita replied, then realized she called Scully on her government issued phone which always had someone listening, “That’s all you know though?”  
“What are you saying?”  
“When does your flight to Philadelphia leave?”  
“We’re driving. It’s only a thirty-minute drive so not until about eleven.”  
“Good. I’ll be at your hotel by ten.” She said hanging up before making sure Allie was buckled in before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.  
“That was strange.” Scully said looking at the phone and then Mulder, “Marita called about Madison and then said she’d be here by ten before hanging up.”  
“Maybe your connection is more than you thought?” Mulder said, wondering if it was possible that Scully’s ova could still be out there after all this time, “She can’t be…”  
Scully shook her head, “No…I can’t…that wasn’t it…I know she isn’t mine biologically, I just felt something else.”  
Mulder nodded as a sly smile crept across his lips, “And your towel fell.”  
Looking down to see her very exposed breasts, Scully sighed and quickly pulled the large white towel back up, “You’re incorrigible.”   
“Just…missed them is all.” Mulder replied before unmuting the TV and going back to trying to find something to watch as his already dressed self simply continued lying on the bed waiting for his wife to finish getting ready for their trip to Philadelphia.  
Even though most of the events were scheduled to be held in the state capitols, some were moved the larger populated cities. The event in Philadelphia had over five thousand people request free tickets, which had those performing background checks working overtime, but also helped weed out those would cause trouble so they could be removed – in one way or another.  
The event didn’t go perfectly, Jefferson knew this, but his plan still had a better outcome for the country as a whole than his previous partner had in mind. Once Jefferson was aware that Carl was “selling” the vaccine he knew his old friend needed to be eliminated; he just didn’t expect Carl’s eldest son to be the one to take care of his problem. Lists were made of those who needed to be saved. Scholars, humanitarians, the best of the best, and then there were other lists. Lists of those who needed to NOT survive the event and if they had, would be taken care if they popped up later. Thomas Dorchester of Newark, Delaware was a white supremacist who had stayed in on July 4th, 2019 due to a bought of the flu. When he, and four buddies from other states signed up to meeting with the new ‘cunt’ President, they were properly flagged and associates were sent to take care of the problem. Not only was the America Reborn Tour about letting the country meet with their new President, it was about exposing the dark underbelly of the country they hadn’t properly eliminated the first time. His latest list, sent over at four am on Sunday morning, contained twenty-six Militia members on the dark web who were very against having a woman president – among other vulgar words used – and they would ‘take care of the problem.’ By five am, all associates had been sent out to meet with these Militia members from places as far as Allentown and Chambersburg and by eight am the threats had been eliminated and Scully was now free to travel to Philadelphia.  
Sure, there could be other threats by people who didn’t bother to sign up for the event that they were always prepared for, but it was best to not let Scully know this was happening.  
Especially considering her condition.  
“Well, I know why Celeste stopped responding to messages.” Marita said after pulling off on I-95N to get gas and Allie needed another Diet Coke, “She’s dead.”  
“What?” Jefferson asked as he looked out at the Murray Lake from the deck of his home in Chapin, South Carolina, “How?”  
“You know how.” Marita said thankful there was a long line in the Conoco station.  
“But she developed the vaccine. Why wouldn’t she take it?”  
“You tell me. The larger issue is, Madison survived. She was found in a field holding that damn doll.”  
“Well, we have to protect her.”  
“I know this.” Marita said as she kept her eye on the shop as someone walked by mumbling about using a cell phone near the gas pump. “I’m on my way to Wilmington now.”  
“Good.” Jefferson sighed as he watched a Tricolored Heron pluck a fish right out of the water, “From all accounts, day one of the tour went well for us.”  
“Yes.” Marita replied as she removed the hose and placed it back on the pump, “How many were taken care of today?”  
“Twenty-six.” Jefferson replied, “You should have read the vile things these cretins said about Dana.”  
“I’d rather not.” Marita said, “Any news on New Jersey?”  
“They’re still working on the background checks. Over ten-thousand tickets requested. The arena only holds eighty-six hundred.” Jefferson took a deep breath, “By April we should be in a good place to move forward.”  
“Sounds good.” Marita said as she noticed Allie exiting the shop with her very large soda cup in one hand – so large she was amazed her daughter could hold it with one hand - and a much smaller coffee cup in the other.  
“How’s Allie?” Jefferson asked as he was always worried about the young woman.  
“Better. They’ve offered her a paying position in the day care center at The White House. She’s great with kids. Better than I expected her to be.”  
“That’s good to hear. Just give me a call after you find Madison.”  
“I will.”  
The knock on the hotel room door came at precisely ten-fifteen. As all secret service members knew Marita, she was allowed access onto the floor where Scully and her family were staying. Allie was happy to stay in the lobby with her cell phone and the five-hundredth level of Candy Crush.  
Scully, wearing a dark green blouse and black slacks answered the door as Mulder sat on the bed wearing a dark green sweater with Melissa in his lap wearing a jade green dress, white tights and matching jade green Mary Janes, searching for anything worth watching on a Sunday morning.  
Marita, partially out of breath, greeted the family, “How is everyone?”  
“Good…” Scully replied as she crossed her arms, “Why the sudden need to see me?”  
Marita nodded, “Good, get to the point. I can do that. It’s about Madison. The extremely adorable little girl you were talking to yesterday?”  
“I talked, she didn’t reply.” Scully replied, reminded a bit of her first encounters with Emily.  
“Understandable.” Marita replied as she pulled out her phone and went to a specific folder before opening a photo of a beautiful blonde woman holding a two-year old child – Madison, “This is her mother.” She said handing the phone to Scully.  
Scully took the phone as Mulder got up from the bed, Melissa in his arms, and walked over to see the photo Marita was referring to, “She looks a lot like you.” Scully replied.  
“I’m flattered. Really. Her name was Celeste. She was a brilliant scientist who worked with us on the vaccine for the event.”  
“And her father?” Mulder asked.  
“Unknown. At forty Celeste decided she wanted a child, but not a man in her life. She chose the best the center had to offer. All I know is he is of Japanese decent and incredibly gifted.”  
“MADISON JOHANNSSON!” William screamed busting through the door. They had given their son a key to their room, but didn’t expect them to scare the hell out of them, “Hey, Marita.” He added in a much calmer tone.  
“Johannsson?” Scully looked at her son then Marita who nodded.  
“Born August 8th, 2016.” William sighed – loudly - as he closed his laptop, “Now, I can sleep.”  
“So, she is three.” Mulder replied.  
Marita nodded, “She was with us nearly every day that Celeste was working on the vaccine. Celeste was supposed to take the vaccine…clearly…something went wrong.”  
“Maybe she couldn’t live with the decision.” Scully said stepping back, “Knowing she was a part of something that killed millions of people.”  
“And just left her daughter in a field?” Marita asked, “Who would do that?”  
“Maybe she thought it was for the best…” Scully exhaled as she closed her eyes, “I don’t know.”  
“Maybe she watched her mother…vanish.” Mulder added as he held his own child tightly against him. “That could explain her inability to speak.”  
“I’ve clearly missed a big part of the conversation here…” William said looking at his parents and Marita.  
“Madison was the daughter of one of the scientists who helped create the vaccine.” Scully said.  
“Oh, the one dad chucked in the garbage in Hawaii?” William replied.  
Marita looked at them aghast, “You know how much money went into that? How much it was worth?”  
“We couldn’t really trust it at the time…considering.” Mulder replied, his demeaner far from defensive given the circumstances at the time.  
“Well, in any event…you all survived, Celeste didn’t, and this little girl is all alone.” Marita said looking at her phone one last time before turning off the screen.  
Her upper teeth digging into her lower lip, Scully looked at her husband, who nodded then looked at Marita, “We want her.”  
Happy to hear him say “we” Scully nodded as Marita’s eyes turned to the woman behind her.  
“Seriously?” Marita said looking at the two of them and then Melissa, “With so much already on your plate?”  
Scully nodded, “Yes.”  
Marita looked at her dark phone, she didn’t want to say it out loud, as to cause suspicion, but she had to say it, “Dana, I know you’re pregnant.”  
Given they didn’t tell anyone, Scully shook her head, “How?”  
“That doesn’t matter. I just know, and given the gravity of the situation, do you really want to add a scared child to your family?”  
Scully looked at her son, her husband, her daughter and then Marita. When she wanted to adopt Emily, she was told it was impossible given she was a single woman with a dangerous job. Now, she was married, the President of the United States, with two children, one on the way and more than anything she wanted to give a home to a child whose mother died in the most horrific event that ever occurred on US soil, “More than anything.” She replied.  
Given these people were probably the best parents Madison could ever hope for, Marita nodded, “I’ll get started on the paperwork…” she sighed, “At least all other scientists are accounted for.” She gave a small smile before leaving the room.  
“Did you tell her?” Scully asked William who was struggling to stay awake.  
“No.” William replied, “Joy and I didn’t tell anyone…” he didn’t want to bring up April. “Maybe other woman can tell.”  
“Maybe.” Scully sighed as she walked over to Mulder and reached her arms out for her daughter, “Are you ready to get a big sister and become a big sister all in the same year?”  
Melissa smiled at her mother, not fully comprehending what she said, but Scully held her against her chest and closed her eyes as her head rested against her baby girl’s, “Everything happens for a reason.”  
The drive to Philadelphia took nearly an hour due to traffic, but they arrived at Wells Fargo Center where the twelve-thousand screened ticket holders had been waiting since eleven-thirty. Her stomach full of nerves given the crowd size, those fears were instantly quashed as Scully and her family – William on two Red Bulls and no sleep – walked onto the stage in the middle of the arena. There was secret service within the crowd and on stage as she was told not to worry, and her highly caffeinated son and daughter-in-law also kept their eyes on the crowds.  
The event started like the one the day before, she was given a microphone to answer questions from the crowd. Some questions were innocuous – what’s your favorite color – to which Scully replied “red” to what it was like having a child in your fifties, “Miraculous.” Until a man whose voice sent a shiver down her spine took the microphone.  
“My name is Edward Jerse.” He said, his voice amplifying through the arena.  
Mulder, holding his daughter on his lap, quickly came to attention as he scanned the crowd. That name…that man…who they both tried to forget…of course he would come here.  
“What’s your question….Edward.” Scully said as the knot in her throat pushed against her windpipe.  
In 1997, after being told she had cancer by a …mutant…Scully went a little …crazy. She went on one date with a man, got a tattoo she deeply regretted and later had removed, and did things with him she still couldn’t recall. Of course, until the tattoo on his arm told him to kill her and she watched in horror as he attempted to burn the talking tattoo off in a furnace.  
Over twenty-years later and the memories of that day still haunted her.  
“I don’t have a question.” Edward, sitting in the front row, his hair now grey and his face looking like that of a man who had spent the last twenty-years smoking and drinking his life away, “I just wanted to say, I’m sorry. For everything.” He said as he nodded at the woman he was happy to have voted for before handing the microphone back to the young male usher and sitting down.  
“Thank you.” Scully replied knowing she would have to explain that to her son later.  
During the three hour event, where the quick vegetable wrap she grabbed before leaving the hotel was long gone and the itty bitty embryo was craving true nourishment, Scully smiled as best she could while thinking of all the pasta she wanted to devour the second they got back to the hotel. More questions about healthcare and infrastructure, gun control and legalizing marijuana were asked before the event was concluded and nearly four hours had passed before they were told they could leave. At least there weren’t any cute kids this time around.  
They were expected to dine at Jean George’s restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel where they were staying, but the need for just a big bowl of pasta was so great that the reservations were changed to a local Italian restaurant where they could dine in peace between the hours of five and seven.  
Wanting everything on the menu in front of her, not feeling as carb driven when she was pregnant the other two times, Scully settled on a large order of spaghetti with marina sauce and a small green salad.  
“Are we allowed to have cheese?” A tired William asked as he looked over the menu.  
“You are allowed whatever you want…within reason.” His father said eying him.  
“Eggplant parmesan.” He replied yawning.  
Having blown off more classes and honestly feeling better about doing so, Joy looked over the menu, “Octopus..” she said before making a face like she swallowed a sour grape. “Ravioli sounds good…cheese and all.”  
“Yes, for the next month enjoy the cheese. Not sure why there’s an anti-dairy edict The White House, but we might as well enjoy it while we can.” Scully said as she settled on bruschetta and San Pellegrino as well.  
“So…” As William finished off his dinner and watched his mother do the same to her large bowl of pasta, “What was with that guy?”  
“What guy?” she said taking a sip of her sparkling water.  
Mulder turned to his wife as he gave Melissa her last piece of grilled asparagus. “That…guy. You know… the one who tried to burn you alive.”  
“Oh, that one.” Scully said placing her glass on the table and looking at the two shocked teenagers across from her, “He said he was sorry.”  
“Some history, mom.” William said looking at his parents.  
“Our history could take years to fill you in on.” Scully said as she picked up a breadstick and broke it in half, “I guess the gist of it is, I went on one date with his man twenty-three years ago, got a really ridiculous tattoo and then he tried to kill me.”  
“What was the tattoo?” Joy asked given she had wanted one for some time, but couldn’t really settle one what exactly she wanted on her body for life.  
“A snake eating its own tail.” Mulder said as he handed Melissa, at the end of the table in a highchair, a breadstick.  
“It’s called an ouroboros.” Scully replied, “And I had it removed.” Scully eyed her husband wanting to change the subject as he found ways to mock her daily for it until she finally had it removed. If she bent over and her top went up the slightest bit, he made a comment. So much so that when he finally saw her naked for the first time – in an intimate setting - he seemed disappointed to no longer see it there – and after six sessions to have it completely lasered off it would be a cold day in hell before she ever got another one.  
“I guess she wants us to drop it.” Mulder said as he picked up the dessert menu, “Gelato or cannoli?”  
“Both.” Scully replied.  
William, having been walking on fumes all day passed out in his room as Joy looked over the angry emails in her account. Virtual group projects she had slacked on, professors angry they had allowed her to attend virtually only to miss tests and exams.  
She hated school.  
HATED. She just didn’t realize how much until she overwhelmed herself.  
Looking at herself in the mirror across from the king sized bed where her husband slept soundly – still in his clothes – she didn’t even recognize herself anymore. Who was she really? The haircut the week before didn’t change her, the last eleven months had. The second she saw William, and the memories of all that had been done to her came back…now, all she wanted to do was help children. Even if they hadn’t been through everything she had, she wanted to help in some way. Maybe, her true calling was social work or therapy…all she could do was hope she’d find it.  
Her stomach slightly swollen from the amount of pasta she inhaled, Scully looked at her naked body as she stood in the bathroom already upset she couldn’t enjoy the spacious tub.  
“You’ve got to see this view!” Mulder said as he walked into the bathroom, stopped in his tracks by the naked woman before him, “This one is better.”  
Scully smiled at her reflection in the mirror before turning to him, “Enjoy it while it lasts.”  
Placing his hands on her hips, Mulder’s eyes slowly traveled downward, stopping for a moment to admire her ample breasts and rose colored nipples, to the swollen belly where miraculous things were happening underneath the surface, “I hate that we have to wait nine months to meet him or her.”  
“If only I were a cat, then nine weeks.” Scully smiled.  
Leaning down and kissing her on the forehead, Mulder sighed as he felt her breasts against him, “Same rules as before?”  
“Yes, I know it’s perfectly safe and we had sex plenty of times before I knew I was pregnant with Melissa…but…”  
“I understand.” He said kissing her again before stepping back, “Whatever you want…”  
“Thank you.” Scully said softly just as someone yelled Daddy from the other room, “I think you’re wanted elsewhere.”  
Mulder nodded, “And I fear the day I’m not.” 

She was only one, but he was already fearing the teen years.  
They both were.


	24. February 3, 2020

Monday, February 3, 2020  
After meeting with Dana, Marita located the family caring for Madison. She spoke with Jamie and Addison, both lovely people who assured her Madison was being cared for and after the meeting they had already had people contacting them to adopt her.  
Once she informed them that Dana was interested as well, their eyes lit up and they said they would do all they could to help.  
Staying in a hotel in Wilmington until this was settled, Allie upset she was missing her first day actually getting paid to work at The White House, returned from the pharmacy down the street with the prescription she had to have called in as she left her meds at home, to find her mother on her phone pacing, “Yes, I know it can take a minimum of six months, but that’s a lifetime for a three year old.” She nodded at her daughter who placed the cup of coffee she picked up at Starbucks on the way back on the small table by the TV. “Did you look at the application I sent over? Did you see the name on it? No? Well look. NOW.” Marita said, her voice raised as she looked out the window at the cloudy sky and then back at her daughter, “I may send you home on the train, but I’m not leaving until Madison is in my custody.”  
“I get it. She’s cute.” Allie said as she sat down on the bed and ripped open the paper bag before popping a pill in her mouth and swallowing it down with her second Diet Coke of the day.  
“She’s more than that.” Marita said, “We can’t just have anyone raising this child. She needs to be nurtured by the right people.” She continued as she became more and more annoyed with the hold music, until it stopped and a creepy smile crept across her face, “Oh, yes, well thank you for your apologies. No, this isn’t a political stunt!” Marita nearly yelled, “Yes, I’ll be over in an hour.” She said before pressing the red button and tossing the phone on the bed.   
“What did they say?” Allie asked.  
“I’m going to meet with the director at the DSCYF – department of services for children, youth and their families - with Jamie and Madison. I’d really like to get this taken care of today.”

“It’s not like adopting a pet.” Allie replied.  
“No, but these are special circumstances. I need to at least be her guardian until the tour is over, I’m too afraid of something happening before then.”  
“What could happen to her? She’s just a child.”  
“You have no idea.” Marita said grabbing her coffee, “Get your coat.”  
Hollywood, California – 10:00AM  
“FEBRUARY 21st!” Michael Sanders yelled as they finally finished shooting the eight episodes of Assassin, popping off the cork of a bottle of Champagne.  
“That’s in three weeks!” Heather replied as all she wanted to do was go back to her trailer, take off the six inch heels and take a very long shower before going home and passing out for a year.  
“Not up to me! Also, you’ve already taped Ellen with your girl…wife, but we’re working on getting you booked on all the other late night shows that week so clear your schedule.”  
“I only have Hannah’s cousin’s wedding the weekend before.”  
“Good. Make the most of it and rest up.” Michael said as he waited for everyone else to leave before following Heather to her trailer, “Heather…” he said just as she put her hand on the door handle.  
“What.” She said flatly, before turning and looking at him.  
“If this does well, and people like you…no one will care that you’re gay.”  
“No one should care.” She replied.  
“Unfortunately, it always has and it always will matter.. that’s the world we live in.”  
“Well, if you caught the news, Hannah’s aunt is trying to help change the world.”  
Michael nodded, “I hope she does.” He said holding out his hand, “It was a pleasure working with you.”  
Shocked by how polite he was being, Heather took his hand and shook it firmly, knowing in the back of her head what she would always be capable of, “You too.”


	25. San Diego

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020  
The first two weeks of the tour seemed to fly by. A different state every day and after a while Scully forgot where she was. They were gifted peaches in Georgia, greeted by high school and college classmates in Maryland and Virginia – along with patients she had treated who were now older teens and grown adults – by the time they got on Air Force One Wednesday night to get to their hotel in San Diego, the entire family was exhausted. Even Melissa struggled to keep her head up.  
“I’m going to ask again.” Mulder asked as he sat next to his wife on the luxury airliner as it made its way to the other side of the country, “How are you feeling?”  
“I want cheese.” Scully replied, closing the water bottle she had been drinking from, “All. The. Cheese.”  
Mulder smiled, “I’ll check in with the kitchen.”  
Having almost anything at their disposal was such an incredible feeling as Mulder made his way to the galley where the head chef was preparing dinner for the family.  
“What’s on the menu?” Mulder asked.  
“I was told the president has been liking pasta as of late.” Maurice, a very distinguished Italian man replied, “Am I correct in that assumption?  
Mulder nodded, “Tonight she’s requested cheese. Lots of it.”  
“Good, as I’ve been preparing a spinach lasagna. “  
“Real cheese?” Mulder questioned.  
Maurice smiled and gave him a small wink, “Ricotta and mozzarella. Purchased just this morning from an Italian establishment.”  
“Thanks, Maurice.” Mulder replied as he headed back to his wife to share the good news.  
“I honestly don’t care if I gain thirty pounds.” Scully said as she finished the hot fudge sundae - after easily polishing off the incredible lasagna - just before the pilot announced they were about to land.  
“Nor do I.” Mulder replied as he took the empty glass from it and handed it to the attendant, “But you’ve already had fittings for the rest of the tour.”  
“So, they can be tight.” She said finally feeling well nourished.  
The three hour flight was eliminated with the time difference as they arrived into San Diego before being driven to The Hotel Del Coronado which had been booked for five months. Bill was pacing in the lobby for over an hour as he watched the secret service watch him before someone finally informed them who he was, when their radios when off and he could hear someone say “they’re pulling up.”  
Part of him still hated Mulder, he couldn’t help it. Even though he knew he couldn’t blame one man for everything horrible that happened to his family -Melissa’s death most of all – he just…didn’t like the guy. He would be cordial, as he was at Christmas and during the yacht trip, As he watched his baby sister hold Mulder’s hand as they entered the hotel lobby all he could do was force a smile and give a small wave as Scully noticed him and let go of Mulder’s hand to run toward her big brother for a much needed hug.  
“Unca Bill!” Melissa squealed as Mulder walked over to his wife and brother-in-law.  
“Hey, Bill.” Mulder said, not bothering to extend his hand. They had moments where they could get along, and most involved beer being consumed.  
“Hey, Fox.” Bill replied as he parted from his sister, “Glad you could fit us in your schedule.”  
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Scully said, “But I am starving.”  
“Good. We have the taco shack reserved for the night. They have a Mermaids drink free policy.”  
“Guess I can’t drink since I’m not a mermaid.” Scully replied.  
“It’s a joke, Dana.”  
“I know, William.”  
“What?” William asked confused as he looked out at the beach wanting to do nothing more than grab a surfboard and see if he could actually stay afloat.  
“Not you.” Scully replied shaking her head and now questioning why she gave her son the same name as her brother, and father, and Mulder’s father, “Anyway…like I said…I’m starving.”  
Having given herself a pass during her last pregnancy, when it came to eating meat, Scully wondered if this time around she could resist the urge, but a vegan mushroom poblano did not sound appetizing so instead she ordered a simple taco with black beans and extra cheese. Extra, EXTRA cheese. Lucy, full of nerves was on her second margarita as she talked a little too loudly about their honeymoon in Paris.  
“How much did this set you back?” Mulder asked his brother-in-law and Tara who were thankfully sitting side by side with no irritation.  
“More than I’m willing to let him know.” Tara replied as she finished her Snapper Rocks a peach and orange blossom vodka with grapefruit liqueur, lemon juice, basil and tonic, “Are you sure you don’t want anything, Dana?” she said looking at Scully, “This isn’t costing the tax payers anything.”  
Scully chuckled a bit at the comment as she stuck to her bottle of Club Soda., “I’m fine. Really.”  
“You don’t want the paparazzi catching you getting wasted.” Bill replied as he took a sip of his Heineken.  
“Yeah.” Scully lied. The beach and hotel had been closed off to anyone who wasn’t in the wedding party, something she felt badly about, but apparently needed to be done. The coast guard was clearly visible in the water to make sure no one tried to sneak in as well. At least it was only for three days.  
“How many people are attending the wedding?” Mulder asked trying to change the subject.  
“Three hundred.” Bill nearly gagged before finishing his beer.  
“Mostly Lucy’s family.” Tara added as Bill got up to get another beer.  
Tara eyed Scully as she eagerly picked the cheese which had fallen from her tacos off the plate, “You’re pregnant aren’t you?”  
Scully looked up at her sister-in-law in shock, “How?”  
“I’m a nurse, we can tell these things, and the way you’ve been inhaling that cheese.” She chuckled a bit, “But seriously, aren’t you…not to be insulting.”  
“Fifty-six next Sunday.” Scully said getting the last bit of cheddar off the plate and into her mouth, “I know…it’s amazing.”  
“Apparently so…but not completely unheard of. Maybe biology is finally making it fair. Why can men have babies into their nineties and we can’t?”  
“Right?” Scully said finally having someone see it from her perspective, “Thank you, Tara.” She said watching her brother return, “But don’t tell Bill.”  
“Oh, no. I won’t.” She said smiling at her ex-husband as he sat down next to her.  
“What did I miss?” He asked.  
“Your son and future daughter-in-law dancing on the beach.” Tara said turning to her right as she pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of Matthew and Lucy as they slowly moved on the beach while fully embraced with the sun setting behind them, “And Lucy’s family paid for the honeymoon.”  
“Thank God.” Bill said before taking a drink.  
Excited and more than a bit drunk, Lucy kissed Matthew goodbye as she headed towards the Sun Deck Bar to meet her best friends Ashley and Megan, almost running into Joy as she was returning to her room with ice.  
“OH MY GOD, JOY!” Lucy nearly screamed, “You’ve got to join me at the bar!”  
“I’m not old enough to drink.” Joy replied.  
“Didn’t William go out with Matthew and his stupid friends?” she said slurring on the word stupid.  
“Yes.” Joy replied, honestly having never really liked Lucy much as she seemed so overdramatic.  
“Just come…you’re going to love Ashley and Megan they’re just like me!” She said a bit too loudly.  
“Greattt.” Joy said, “Let me drop off my ice.”  
Wearing jeans and a loose blue top – being able to wear her own clothes for the first time in weeks – with sandals, Joy followed Lucy to the Sun Deck where two very loud girls with dark brown hair sitting on blue couches with a fire pit in the middle squealed as they approached.  
“Ash, Meg, this is Joy. She’s Matthew’s cousin’s wife…soon to be MY cousin’s wife!” she said wrapping an arm around Joy and pulling her against her tall frame, “Isn’t she cute.”  
“Totally.” Ashley replied as she took an empty glass and poured what was left of the sixty dollar pitcher of 1888 Margarita in it, “Cheers!” she said handing the drink to Joy.  
Lucy smiled at Joy as she took the glass, “You’re going to love it.”  
As they hadn’t even questioned her age, and the servers didn’t even look their way, Joy nodded and sat down with the glass before taking a sip. She had had alcohol before, Dana had given her wine when the cramps and migraine were just that bad, and given she was due soon it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Besides, if she was old enough to go to war, she was old enough to drink. The drink was sweet, but a little bitter and she was thankful she didn’t cough and embarrass herself to the other ladies.  
“When does Matthew’s other cousin get in?” Ashley asked, “The lesbian?”  
Joy almost choaked on her second sip as she looked at Ashley.  
“I told you!” Lucy said as she tossed the laminated menu at her friend, “Hannah is MARRIED and her wife is way hotter than your skanky ass.”  
“Damn.” Ashley sulked as she picked up the menu, “Guess I’ll just have to look elsewhere.” She said slowly eying Joy, “You?”  
Joy shook her head, as she raised her left hand.  
“I TOLD YOU!” Lucy yelled, her voice nearing the level of a dog yelping “She’s married to Matthew’s other cousin!”  
“Is ANYONE in this family single?” Ashley replied, “It’s been too long since I’ve been laid.”  
“I’d help you out, but you’re not my type.” Megan said taking the menu from her friend as she waved her finger in the air, “Next pitcher is….SOCIAL CRUSH! Vodka, Cointreau, Orange Juice, Prosecco!”  
“YUMMMY!” Lucy cheered as she sat down next to Joy, “Having fun yet?”  
“A blast.” Joy lied before finishing the drink.  
Walking out of the bathroom of their Victorian room, where secret service was positioned in the hall, Scully was making sure the sleeveless dark green dress she had purchased months earlier for the wedding still fit. Lucy had informed everyone it was her favorite color and “requested” that they wear anything green. It was unzipped in the back, but it was obvious it would still fit, she approached her husband as he sat up on the bed with his daughter and her HOMER learning program as she pressed the letters on her tablet. The AI instructor cheering “That’s great, Melissa!” as Melissa giggled at her accomplishments.  
“Technology these days.” Mulder said looking up at his wife in her emerald green dress, “Wow.”  
“Glad I can still get a wow out of you.” She replied walking over to the mirror, “It still fits.” She said looking at her reflection.  
“I seriously doubt you’ll gain enough weight to matter in two days.”  
“The female body is a mess…especially when pregnant.” She said turning back to him as the AI asked Melissa to click on the M, which she did as cheers erupted from the app.  
“All I know is that female body is doing things to this male body and it’s kind of making me crazy.”  
As she had been feeling more than a bit frisky herself, Scully turned back to her husband, “I guess it would be ok…” she said as Melissa pressed a W, “But…”  
“Shit…” Mulder mumbled, “The kids went out…”  
Scully nodded, “Tara?”  
“She is staying in her own room.”  
Scully nodded as she watched Mulder quickly pick Melissa up in his arms and grab the app as he rushed to the door.  
Smiling at the secret service agents, he walked to the end of the hall where Tara was staying if they needed “anything.” And knocked on the door.  
Tara, wearing flannel red pajamas looked at Mulder and then Melissa, “What’s up?”  
“You said if we needed anything…”  
“Yeah…” Tara eyed him, “How much time?”  
“An hour…maybe two…” he said as Tara extended her arms for Mulder to place Melissa in, before also taking the tablet as well.  
“I remember my first trimester…” Tara smiled as she placed Melissa on her lap.  
“Really didn’t need the visual, but thanks.” Mulder replied as he sprinted back to the room where Scully was still in the unzipped dress while closing the drapes.  
“She’s good?” Scully asked.  
“Tara wasn’t available so I just left her with one of the agents.” Mulder said as he entered the room.  
“What?” Scully asked in full panic.  
“I’m kidding! She’s fine. Tara completely understands.”  
“You told her.”  
“I didn’t need to. Clearly, she remembers what it’s like to be pregnant.” He said placing his hands on her bare arms, “But if you’ve changed your mind, I’m fine…really.” He said choking on the last word.  
Placing her hands on his chest and slowly running them down to the waistline of his jeans, Scully placed the palm of her right hand over the swelled denim, “No, you’re not.” She replied before stepping back, “I just don’t want to ruin this dress.”  
Mulder nodded as she returned to the bathroom to hang up the dress.  
Feeling like a teenage boy who was close to exploding, Mulder purposely paced as his wife was in the bathroom. It had been WEEKS, basically since she found out she was pregnant, and Mulder wasn’t completely sure he could survive another nine months, but would if he had to as their child was much more important.  
Giving her body, especially her abdomen, another once over, by now the little embryo inside of her should have a tail, but was only the size of an orange seed – the odd things she looked up at two am – and given it was secure enough in her uterus she should be safe. Odd things she looked up at three am when still awake. She may have also checked in with her doctor who said it could actually be good to have sex while pregnant as it could lower her blood pressure, release oxytocin and that the baby is nowhere near where the main event takes place. Not to mention the calories burned in the process. Scully didn’t let her husband know she checked in with Dr. Bernstein that morning while he was in the shower, but it was good to know she wasn’t crazy for her concerns.  
And it was best if she was on top…which she preferred anyway.  
Turning the lights off, she opened the door to see Mulder fully dressed by the bed. His face full of concern, focused on the naked woman approaching him as she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him onto the bed.  
Feeling like she was in a trance controlled by her own sexual desires, Scully quickly straddled her husband as he began to unbutton his shirt, clearly shocked by her behavior and fearing she would change her mind, he kept his eyes on her as she unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped them before sitting up on her knees as they worked together on removing the denim barrier.  
Sitting up for just a moment to remove his shirt and toss it against the drapes, Mulder lay back down as he then helped in the removal of his grey boxer shorts which Scully tossed behind her.  
Part of her was still terrified, but she chose instead to remember what her doctor said and focus on her own womanly needs as she took the part of Mulder’s anatomy she desired most at this time and ran her fingers up and down the shaft as it hardened under her fingers. Raising herself above him as she slowly slid him inside, her eyes closing at the sensations as she took him all in, waiting for her body to relax around his girth as she opened her eyes and focused them on the man below her. Her muscles constricting and relaxing as she placed her hands on his shoulders and as if she was in slow motion she began to move, up and down, Mulder’s hands moving to her waist to help guide her. No words being spoken as she continued the rhythmic motion, softly moaning as he teased her g-spot. The vibrations flowing through her as the pace quickened, her nails digging into his shoulder as she felt the orgasm approaching and as her eyes closed her body shook she heard her partner let out a small moan before she fell on top of him, her heart beating rapidly as the pleasure coursed through her.  
After a long shower, and getting into her own flannel pajamas and not carrying what the secret service agents thought, with her hair in a towel and barefoot, Scully walked to Tara’s room where she opened the door and invited Scully in.  
“She fell asleep.” Tara said as she walked her to the king sized bed where Melissa lay in the fetal position, sound asleep.  
“She’s been so calm lately.” Scully said, “She used to wake up at night with horrible screaming, but lately she’s been so calm.” She said picking her sleeping child up into her arms, “Thank you for watching her.”  
“Not a problem. I know how it can be.”  
“Not that it’s a subject I ever want to delve into, but you didn’t have any complications?”  
Tara shook her head, “Not one. Matthew was so late they were telling us to have sex constantly to get contractions to start and nothing. It’s perfectly safe.” Tara’s forehead crinkled a bit as she looked at her sister-in-law, “All during your previous…never once?”  
“Not once I knew I was pregnant.” She said looking down at Melissa sleeping in her arms, “it was worth it though.”  
“Not to mention you’re in your sexual prime. Don’t miss out on it.”  
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, given the subject, Scully nodded, “Thanks again for watching her.”  
Tara nodded as she followed Scully to the door, “By the way, I’ve been reading up on your America Reborn Tour. Did you know you have an 85% approval rating?”  
“Really? I haven’t even really done anything yet?”  
“People like you. You’re real. Sometimes, that’s all that matters.”  
Placing Melissa in her infant bed, letting her sleep in her clothes as she removed her shoes, Scully mumbled at the sexual prime comment made by a woman four years younger than her.  
Mulder, having taken a shower and now in his grey flannel pajama pants stood over his wife as she delicately pulled the covers over their daughter.  
“What are you mumbling about?” he asked placing his hands on her shoulders, feeling how tense she was.  
“Nothing.” Scully said standing up, but enjoying the feel of his hands on her shoulders, “I’m just tired is all.”  
“It’s been a long week and you need your rest. Thankfully the rehearsal isn’t until noon.”  
“I may skip it in order to sleep.”  
“Completely understandable.”  
Thursday, February 13th, 2020  
William arrived back in his room at two am, Joy at three, and when the alarm went off at eight neither one of them wanted to get out of bed.  
They weren’t really hung over, as their bodies didn’t seem to react to alcohol the way others did, but they were tired as they lay naked – too exhausted to change into pajamas – under the sheets and just stared at one another.  
“You didn’t do anything regrettable…did you?” Joy asked her husband given they did go to a strip club.  
William shook his head as he moved himself closer to Joy, “We went to a club, the music was loud and the drinks were strong…that’s it.” Now only inches away he licked his lips, “You?”  
“Ashley kissed me, but it was just a friendship kiss.”  
“Who’s Ashley?”  
“One of Lucy’s maids of honor. She has two. Because there was no way she could choose. Then we watched she and Megan make out for about thirty minutes.”  
“Did you have a lot to drink?”  
Joy nodded, “Probably more than I should have, but honestly it felt good to just not care and relax.”  
William nodded as well, reaching for her left hand under the covers and taking it in his, “School?”  
“I feel like I let everyone down, even Monica who I shouldn’t care about, but I do.”  
“You have every right to drop out. I’ll support any decision you choose to make.”  
“I still feel like a failure.”  
“It doesn’t mean you can’t go back. Sure, you may have lost your scholarship, but one of the items on my mom’s agenda is making college more affordable. Remember, someone asked about it New Hampshire?”  
“I think that was in New York. Remember, we had dinner later and your mom ate an entire large pizza.”  
“She’s going to go mental in Wisconsin.” William chuckled a bit, “I do enjoy seeing her happy though, and knowing she’s not faking it.”  
“Me too. She’s an incredible person.”  
“I just wish I got to know her sooner.”  
“Well, clearly she’s trying to make up for that.” Joy said squeezing his hand in hers, “and we still have an hour before we need to get to breakfast. Let’s make the most of it.”  
9:30AM  
“Where’s Lucy?” Joy asked as she and William sat at the large table with Matthew, his parents, Lucy’s parents and William’s parents. Melissa already snacking on grapes.  
“Throwing up every five seconds.” Matthew said as he shook his head, “I told her not to drink so much.”  
Doing the mental math of how much Lucy had consumed, Joy realized it was probably twice as much as she did and nodded as she filled her glass from the carafe of orange juice.  
“She’ll be fine by the rehearsal, right?” Lucy’s mother Annabelle asked.  
“I ordered hash browns and bacon from room service and told her to eat them. The grease soaks up the sugar from the alcohol. Filed under weird things I learned in science class.”  
“He’s right.” Scully said as she was getting impatient waiting for her cheese omelet to arrive, “I had many the drunken nights in college cured with a McDonalds breakfast on the way to class.”  
Lucy’s father Harrison, looked at Scully, “Are you in favor of a flat tax?”  
The table groaned as all eyes, especially Annabelle’s, looked at her husband, “This is not the time.” She said looking at Scully, “I’m sorry. He couldn’t get tickets to your event at the Hollywood Bowl, so he decided to ambush you at our daughter’s wedding.”  
Scully looked at the middle aged balding man, probably around Mulder’s age but with a lot more wear, “A flat tax benefits the one percent more than the ninety-nine, so no, I do not support it.”  
“So, you’re a bleeding heart liberal.” Harrison said pointblank.  
“Depending on your definition, yes, but we’ve eliminated all political parties.” Scully really hated being on the spot and REALLY wanted her omelet.  
“But you wear that cross, are you for or against abortion?”  
A collective groan could be heard around the table as Annabelle placed her face in her hands out of sheer embarrassment, “I am so sorry.” She said unable to face the woman directly across from her.  
“I believe that’s a personal decision between a woman and her doctor, now if you’ll excuse me I’d like to enjoy my breakfast.” She replied in a calm manner as the server placed the cheese omelet in front of her.  
Two weeks into this tour she was getting pretty good at shutting people up.  
They could wear their regular clothes during the rehearsal, but as she returned to the room after breakfast a text message on her non-government issued phone stopped Scully in her tracks.  
Three words.  
I GOT HER!  
Marita sent a photo of Madison sitting in the back of Marita’s Audi, smiling, holding that blonde Cabbage Patch kid. Her eyes filling up with tears, Scully held the phone tightly in her hand as Mulder turned around to see why she stopped moving.  
Once they got to their room, and quickly dialing Marita’s number, Scully sat on the bed and impatiently waited for her to pick up.  
“Hey Pres.” Allie said, the phone on speaker, “My mom is driving back home now so she asked me to answer. Pretty sure you’d be excited.”  
“How?” Was all Scully could ask, her phone also on speaker mode as Mulder sat next to her.  
“I had to pull A LOT OF STRINGS.” Marita said, “You have no idea how convoluted the adoption system is, especially when you’re trying to organize for a third party out of state. We’ll get her set up in my guest bedroom, and take her to the daycare every day, and as of Tuesday, March 24th, you just have to sign a few documents and she’s yours.”  
“I’m not sure I can wait that long.” Scully said turning back to the photo of the smiling child.  
“She’s in good hands.” Marita yelled as she pulled onto I-895S toward Annapolis and the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway. “And we can FaceTime.”  
Scully nodded as she looked at Mulder, tears falling down her face as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled his crying wife against him.  
“Dana?” Marita said given there was no response.  
“She’s busy. Crying.” Mulder said as he took the phone out of her hand, while positioning Melissa on his lap, “Thank you, Marita. I’m not sure how we can repay you.”  
“You already have.” Marita said looking in the rearview mirror at the little girl in the car seat holding her mother’s Cabbage Patch kid and staring out the window. “I’ll check in when we get home.”  
Mulder disconnected the call and looked at his crying wife, “I always wanted a big family.”  
Her tears increasing with his comment, Scully wrapped her arms around her husband and child and just let the tears flow.  
The rehearsal went along as planned, a clearly still hungover Lucy needed much more help walking down the aisle as her father helped her. Megan and Ashley struggled to stand upright as Matthew waited for his future bride to join them, and then dinner was served where the smell of fresh fish sent Scully running to the ladies room – secret service in tow.  
Apparently, the seven am schedule had been changed.  
Waiting for his wife outside the ladies room, along with the secret service, Mulder took her hand as she exited, “You’re ok?” he asked for what felt like the millionth time.  
“As long as I’m not near the fish.”  
Mulder nodded, “We ordered the pasta.”  
Seeing the reactions from all the other tables as they returned, Scully knew eventually people would start talking. As much as she wanted to hide telling the world until the second or even third trimester, she could tell that was no longer an option and decided to just face the crowd herself.  
Standing up, looking at the three hundred people staring back at her she shrugged, “I’m pregnant.” She said before sitting back down, then standing back up, “So if you could keep the fish away from me, that would be helpful.”  
William stared at his mother as she picked up her glass.  
“What?” she asked her oldest child.  
“I can’t believe you just…announced it…to the world.”  
“Better that I do it before TMZ or whoever does.” She said drinking her water, “Now stop staring at me and eat your dinner.”  
Hannah, her mouth agape as she stared at her aunt, “I just thought that maybe you had food poisoning, or a bug.”  
“That would have been a good cover.” Mulder added as people whispered around him, “They’re doing the math…I know they are…”  
“I don’t care.” Scully said, “Maybe now certain people’s fathers won’t bombard me with stupid questions.”  
By the time they arrived back at their room, where Scully had left both her phones, both were constantly going off with messages, but the missed call from Marita on her personal phone was the only one she cared about.

“You told a room full of people you were pregnant.” Marita said as she looked over take out menus for something which seemed appetizing.  
“It was going to come out eventually.” Scully replied as she fell onto her back on the bed, “I actually feel better about everyone knowing.”  
“Well, the communication office is already getting slammed with phone calls from reporters asking if you’re going to come back to DC to have a press conference about this.”  
“My uterus has no comment.” Scully replied.  
Marita smirked at the reply, “You’re snarkier now. I like it.”  
“How’s Madison?”  
“She’s fine. Allie was in the basement finding some of her old toys to play with. She even had a dollhouse I completely forgot about.”  
“When you have the time, I want to know more about her mother, so Madison knows about her.”  
Marita nodded, “Definitely.” She replied as she settled on the barbeque joint at the end of the block, “You know, Dana, the age factor is going to come up and you’re going to have to find a way to explain it other than the truth.”  
“I know. I’ve thought a lot about that.”  
“What are you going to say?”  
“Miracles do happen.” She said smiling at the man standing above her, “Keep us posted on Madison.”  
“Will do.”  
Sitting up, Scully looked at the little girl in his arms, “Can you check with Tara…”  
“On it.” Mulder said before she could even finish her question.  
Friday, February 14th, 2020  
At three am, Mulder checked the news sites on his phone – thankful to see that social media was still a thing of the past – where videos of his wife’s spontaneous announcement were posted on every site available. As if no real news was happening.  
“Put the phone away.” Scully mumbled into the pillow.  
“You’re famous.”  
“I’m the President, how much more famous can I get?” she said turning her head and closing her eyes due to the brightness of his phone.  
“True.” Mulder said, “Good thing comments aren’t allowed.”  
“I’m sure I’ll get enough of them in Rhode Island tomorrow.”  
“America Reborn Tour takes on a whole new meaning.” Mulder said reading the New York Times headline.  
“Go back to sleep.” She said turning over to face the window.  
“Fine.” Mulder said turning off the phone and placing it on the nightstand before turning on his side, sliding one hand under Scully’s waist and another over as he gently pulled her against him, resting his hands on her abdomen before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.  
Not a cloud in the sky, the wedding went off without a hitch at exactly five pm - just in time to have the sun set behind them as Lucy had planned down to the wire. Scully noticed the wedding photographer taking more photos of her than expected and did her best to ignore the man as she sat at the reception table alone - well minus the secret service always within a few feet – as her husband let Melissa run on the beach.  
“Ms. Scully.” A woman said behind her, causing her to jump a bit as the woman walked to the front of the table, “My name is Karen Banks, I’m Lucy’s aunt.”  
“Pleased to meet you.” Scully smiled, terrified she was going to ask her about her opinion on abortion and the flat tax.  
“Do you mind if I sit?” The woman who looked to be around Scully’s age with dark blonde hair asked.  
“Not at all.” Scully said sitting up, “What can I help you with?”  
“Not to be rude, but after your little announcement last night I had to look up your age.”  
And here it began.  
Scully simply smiled, “Yes.”

Karen, the secret service having checked her bag before she could even get onto the property and again before she asked to speak to Scully, pulled out her phone and settled on a photo before placing in on the table, “This is Sabrina. She’s two.”  
Scully looked down at the toddler with the rosy cheeks and blonde hair in side pony tails, “She’s adorable.”  
“She is.” Karen said closing the phone, “I had her when I was fifty-eight.”  
Not realizing she would be opening herself up to an unknown demographic Scully looked at the woman, “That’s incredible.”  
“That’s not really the word I would have used when I found out. My son, at thirty, had just graduated medical school. He did some research and saw an uptake in women in their mid-fifties getting pregnant. He made a joke about there being something in the water, but now…with you…maybe we can really look into this?”  
“I think that was just a joke your son made.” Scully replied, “I can assure you, there’s nothing in the water.”  
Karen nodded, “I love my daughter, I do, but I’m going to be seventy-six when she graduates high school. What if I don’t make it?”  
“The way I see it.” Scully said as she looked to the beach where her fifty-seven-year-old husband was chasing after their one-year-old daughter, “Anything can happen to us at any age, the best you can do is make the best of the time you have with your children. Regardless how much time you may or may not have left.”  
Karen nodded, “Thank you, Madame President.” She said before standing up and leaving Scully to wonder if something really was in the water.  
After dinner, Scully practically demanded that her family get together at the Babcock Story Bar so they could at least catch up. Lucy, still in her eight hundred dollar princess wedding dress, sat on Matthew’s lap as they hung out in the back of the bar after ordering two plates of chocolates delicacies.  
“We have to head out to Rhode Island tomorrow morning, so I wanted to at least spend some time with my family.” Scully said looking at her brother as he played with the glass of scotch in his hand, “And we’re all still dressed up.”  
“How do you feel?” Lucy asked Scully, “I mean, not to be impolite, but given the circumstances.”  
“I feel fine, Lucy. As fine as I did when I was pregnant with that one.” She said looking at Melissa as she played with the buckle of her green shoes – the same dress and shoes she wore in Philadelphia – sitting on her father’s lap.  
“But not me.” William said pointblank.  
“You were a difficult one, I won’t lie.” She said, “But it was worth it. And enough about me, I want to know how all are you are doing. Heather, how is the TV series going?”  
“We FINALLY ended this week.” Heather replied, also wearing a sleeveless green dress, much shorter than Scully’s, “And we have a premiere date. February 21st. Next week will be crazy promotion, but we already filmed Ellen and that’s set to air on Wednesday.”  
“We?” Mulder questioned.  
“Hannah and myself.”  
“Yup.” Hannah said, wishing the club soda in her hand was stronger, “I finally decided to come out of the closet on daytime TV.”  
“Charlie is going to love that.” Bill said finishing his scotch.  
“More reasons he wasn’t invited.” Lucy replied unable to forget his behavior on the yacht.  
“I don’t care what my father thinks, or anyone else. It’s 2020, I should be allowed to be who I am.” Hannah said looking at her wife, “And in a way I can’t wait to see all the jealous eyes on me at the premiere.”  
“At least that will get me out of the news.” Scully smirked, “I really am happy for the two of you.”  
Joy, remembering all Marita had said about Heather staying out of the spotlight, mentally told her husband they needed to talk.  
“Anyone need a drink? I’m parched.” Joy said standing up.  
“And eighteen.” Mulder replied.  
“Just need water, William? Water.”  
William nodded as he followed his wife to a deserted part of the bar.  
“We need to tell her.” Joy said, looking over his shoulder to see Heather smiling as she picked up her glass of wine.  
“Maybe she will be ok. Maybe whoever is after her will see she is no longer a threat and leave her alone.” William said.  
“Can we really take that chance?”  
“We HAVE to. For Hannah.”  
“And we’ll be on a plane in fucking Mississippi while she’s walking the red carpet with a sniper aimed at her head.”  
“You really had to go that far?”  
“The mental image just went there.” Joy huffed, “Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut, but…dammit.”  
“I’ll talk to my mom. Maybe we can get them secret service protection just for the premiere. They are family after all.”  
“Just, don’t tell her too much…considering.”  
William nodded, “I don’t want be responsible for anything happening to anyone. Not anymore.”  
Nodding, Joy looked again over his shoulder at how happy everyone was, “It’s almost like you want to capture a moment and never let it go.”  
“I’m sure there will be many more.” William replied.  
While on the cusp of REM sleep, there was a knock on the door. William’s eyes bolted open to see the clock radio projecting a time of 11:17PM. Joy, still asleep, or at least pretending to be, didn’t move. Another knock came, this time louder, and she opened her eyes.  
Giving in, as secret service wouldn’t have allowed anyone but family to even be on their floor, William got out of bed and made his way to the door, checking the peephole first and groaning.  
Wearing yoga pants and a very long sweater, before William could even offer a simple greeting, Heather pushed the door in, slamming in behind her.  
“What the hell is going on with you two?” She said looking at William and Joy.  
Turning on the lamp by the bed, Joy rubbed her eyes as she tried to just understand what was happening.  
“Well, given we have to be on a plane to Rhode Island at six am, we were sleeping.” William replied crossing his arms over his white t-shirt, grateful he actually got into his pajamas the night before.  
“Yes, but hours earlier you two were acting so BEYOND weird. Like you had one of your stupid super soldier secrets. Spill it.”  
William turned to his wife, who shrugged. She was too tired to speak with her mouth, let alone her mind, “We need to at least tell her.” Joy said, pulling her knees up to her chest in her own kind of protective mode.  
“You might as well, because I am here.” Heather said, her voice much calmer.  
“Fine.” William said running his hands through his hair, forgetting how much shorter it was now and groaning as he moved them down to the back of his neck as he faced a woman who could kill him with her touch, “You were supposed to die last July.”  
“I know that.” Heather replied crossing her arms, “You two saved me from that and I am eternally grateful.”  
“But…” Joy added from ten feet away.  
“But…” Heather echoed in the same ‘there’s more to this story’ tone.  
“The fact you didn’t, has many people…upset.” William continued as he dug his nails into the back of his neck.  
“Which people?” Heather asked, her head turning to the man three feet away and the woman on the bed hiding under a questionable comforter.  
“That’s the thing, we don’t know.” Joy said, finally getting out of the bed and standing next to her husband.  
“I see…” Heather said, her mind going through every worst case scenario possible, “I can protect myself.”  
“From a bullet?” Joy questioned, her voice full of true concern.  
“They wouldn’t do it that way. Too messy.” Heather replied, “Honestly, I’m not worried. If it’s the certain people I think it is, the reason they want me dead isn’t because of what I can do, it’s because of what I know. Do you know HOW many powerful people I was sent to eliminate before you met me? From ALL over the world. If my face is plastered on billboards they’re going to know I’m not dead. There’s no denying that. My face isn’t exactly forgettable.”  
Joy and William both nodded in agreement.  
However, realizing what she just said, Heather realized the implications and needed to sit down, “My face IS going to be plastered on billboards.”  
“We came to that conclusion…” Joy said softly sitting next to her friend at the end of the bed, “Not to mention, there are twenty people from that camp working for Dana’s administration who KNOW what you are capable of and what happened to Caleb.”  
Feeling a migraine coming on, Heather rubbed her temples, “I knew I recognized a couple today.”  
“Secret service?” William asked.  
Heather nodded, “I think one was Steve, another Amanda…they were those twins who could move shit with their minds. Of course they’d be useful.”  
“And then there’s April.”  
“She’s not secret service, is she?” Heather asked, looking up at William, “That bitch was certifiable.”  
“No, she just RUNS The White House.” Joy replied. “It’s a mess.”  
“Does Dana know this?” Heather asked William directly.  
“No.” William said shaking his head, “And given her…condition…it’s best we don’t tell her. Besides, April said that keeping my family safe is the number one objective and for once I don’t think she was lying.”  
“Lots of telekinesis going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” Heather sighed, “Honestly, I don’t know what to do. I’m flying to New York on Monday with the cast, then back here on Wednesday, Ellen airs…the premiere is Thursday…I just can’t go into hiding.”  
Joy looked at her husband, then at Heather. “I just got a crazy idea…”  
“No.” William said already knowing where she was going.  
“It’s worth a shot to ask.” Joy said, “Your mother is very understanding woman.”  
“Depends on what you’re going to ask her.” William added, even though he’d really only known his birth mother for a little over a year, he could tell stubbornness was one of her biggest traits.  
“It’s only for a week. That’s it. We stay with Heather and Hannah throughout the…what’s it called?”  
“A junket.”  
“The junket. Just to get a feel on who is out there, and …if needed…”  
William nodded, “My mother will never agree to this.”  
“If we stay concealed, no one will even know it’s us.”  
“But we can’t hide from security cameras. I learned that A LONG time ago.” William replied when he got caught robbing a 7-11 when he was fourteen.  
“So, we go as ourselves.”  
“I really appreciate this, I do…but…” Heather stood up, “I’ll have to figure out another way to deal with this. When you don’t know who is after you, it’s a lot harder to prepare…but…I’ll find a way.”  
William and Joy watched as Heather solemnly left, wishing there was so much more they could have done.


End file.
